Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ocilla, Georgia 31774
Wednesday, June 13, 2012 10:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was flying the airplane under the conditions specified in a Special Flight Permit to reposition it for a potential sale. The airplane and engine were inspected by a certificated mechanic in accordance with the permit requirements before the flight. During cruise flight, the engine began to “sputter.” The pilot turned to find a landing field, then heard a loud noise, and the engine lost all power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a cotton field; however, the landing gear collapsed in the soft soil and the airframe sustained substantial damage.
Subsequent examination of the engine revealed puncture holes in the upper and lower sections of the engine case. The No. 2 cylinder connecting rod was separated from the crankshaft. The recovered parts of the crankshaft showed indications of heat distress and a lack of lubrication. The Nos. 3 and 4 cylinder connecting rods and rod bearings were still connected to the crankshaft; however their failure appeared imminent because of a severe lack of lubrication. All other crankshaft bearings appeared normal. The No. 1 cylinder connecting rod and bearing were normal in appearance with the exception of an overload fracture near the piston end. It is apparent that the No. 2 cylinder connecting rod end failed first due to a lack of lubrication, and the rotating and moving parts fractured the No. 1 cylinder connecting rod end, resulting in complete engine stoppage.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A failure of the No. 2 cylinder connecting rod due to a lack of lubrication, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/13/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1015 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ocilla |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 31774 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 313421N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0832633W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1015 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 240 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MGR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 294 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 42 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 20 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31157 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 19 2013 11:50AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9238J |
| NTSB Number | ERA12LA394 |
| 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-28-180 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-3312 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 29 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 23 |
| Airframe Hours | 3582 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BUTLER FAMILY LP |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | COOKEVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 38501-3993 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Edward M. Butler II |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Cookeville |
| Operator State | TN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 38501-3993 |
| 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) | Ferry |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 8A3 |
| Departure City | Livingston |
| Departure State | TN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 700 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | CLW |
| Destination City | Clearwater |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 19 2013 11:50AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |