Mechanical & Engine Failure · NTSB ERA22FA418
PIPER PA32 — Afton, VA
| Date | September 15, 2022 |
| Location | Afton, VA |
| Aircraft | PIPER PA32 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Night · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Emergency descent Off-field or emergency landing |
| Pilot age | 30 |
| Pilot total time | 134 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | 28 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft power plant-Engine (reciprocating)-Recip eng cyl section-Failure
- Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Oil-Fluid level
What happened
During a night cross-country flight over remote mountainous terrain, the pilot reported a total loss of engine power to air traffic control. He attempted to glide to a nearby airport, but the airplane impacted trees about 15 miles from the airport.
Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft could not be rotated by hand and about 1 quart of oil remained in the sump. No oil was observed on the ramp at the departure airport and no oil streaks were observed on the airframe, but postimpact fire consumed a majority of the airframe. Teardown examination of the engine revealed that the Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6, connecting rods likely failed as a result of oil starvation. A crack was noted in the oil sump, but metallurgical examination revealed overstress features consistent with impact forces and thermal stress, indicating that the damage was likely sustained during impact; no fatigue was observed. Due to fire and impact damage, the investigation could not determine the reason for the oil starvation/loss that ultimately resulted in the loss of engine power.