Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Chester Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Westbrook, Connecticut 06498
Friday, June 10, 2011 14:32 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During approach to the destination airport, the airplane experienced a loss of engine oil pressure followed by a total loss of engine power. The airplane subsequently impacted wooded terrain about 3 miles from the runway. Examination of the engine revealed that the No. 3 cylinder had separated from the engine case, and its hold-down nuts were not recovered. The hold-down nuts for the adjacent No. 5 cylinder were loose and not adequately torqued to the extent that, had the engine continued to operate, the No. 5 cylinder would have separated. No other mechanical failures were noted with the engine. The Nos. 3 and 5 cylinders, which were newer than the other cylinders and were manufactured by a different company than the original engine manufacturer, were installed about 13 years prior to the accident. There was no record of any recent work performed on those cylinders, and the most recent annual inspection was completed 10 months prior to the accident. Based on the available evidence, the No. 3 cylinder separation was likely due to inadequate torquing of the cylinder hold-down nuts.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power during approach due to inadequate torque on the No. 3 cylinder hold-down nuts.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/10/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1432 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Westbrook |
| Event State | CONNECTICUT |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 06498 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 412019N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0723029W |
| Event Location Airport | Chester Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SNC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 416 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1435 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 10 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SNC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 416 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4400 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 9 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.97 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29326 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA New England ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 28 2011 2:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8233P |
| NTSB Number | ERA11FA334 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-24-250 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 24-3486 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 10 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 41 |
| Airframe Hours | 4194 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BENDZLOWICZ PETER P III |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | WADING RIVER |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 11792-1602 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | BENDZLOWICZ PETER P III |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | WADING RIVER |
| Operator State | NY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 11792-1602 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | HVN |
| Departure City | Shirley |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1411 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SNC |
| Destination City | Chester |
| Destination State | CT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 28 2011 2:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |