Monday, October 03, 2016

Piper PA-28 Cherokee, N5196L, registered to Tohijoco LLC and operated by Coyote Flight: Accident occurred October 02, 2016 in Clarendon, Donley County, Texas

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Lubbock, Texas

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf 

Registered Owner: Tohijoco LLC


Operator: Coyote Flight


http://registry.faa.gov/N5196L

NTSB Identification: CEN17LA010 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 02, 2016 in Clarendon, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/17/2017
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28-180, registration: N5196L
Injuries: 1 Minor.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The student pilot was conducting a cross-country personal flight. The student pilot reported that, while in cruise flight, the single-engine airplane lost power. He then performed a forced landing to a field, during which the wings and firewall were damaged. 

Examination of the engine revealed damage consistent with lubrication distress. Further, a cylinder piston pin was found broken, and metal was found in the oil pickup screen and in the oil filter, which had recently been changed. It is likely that the degraded piston pin was the source of the metal in the oil, which clogged the oil inlet screen and reduced the amount of oil available to the engine and resulted in the loss of engine power. A nonmechanic had performed preventative maintenance and changed the oil and oil filter shortly before the accident. He reported that he noticed the metal in the filter but did not consider it to be an indication of a problem.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The failure of a cylinder piston pin, which resulted in an obstructed oil inlet screen, reduced the amount of oil available to the engine, and led to the subsequent loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the nonmechanic, who had recently changed the oil and oil filter, to recognize that metal in the filter was indicative of a problem.

On October 2, 2016, about 1520 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180 airplane, N5196L, was damaged during a forced landing near Clarendon, Texas. The student rated pilot sustained minor injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was to Tohijoco LLC and operated by Coyote Flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight which operated under visual flight rules flight following. The cross-country flight departed the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (AMA), Amarillo, Texas, at 1405 and was en route to the Childress Municipal Airport (CDS), Childress, Texas.

The pilot reported to the responding FAA inspector that while in cruise flight the engine lost power and he performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane's wings and firewall were damaged.

The airplane was transported to the operator's facility for an examination. The engine was examined under the auspices of an Federal Aviation Administration inspector. The examination noted damage to the engine was consistent with lubrication distress. Further examination of the engine found the metal oil screen pickup fouled with metal. The source of the metal was from a broken piston pin.


During the examination, it was discovered that the engine's oil and oil filter had recently been changed. The oil filter, which had been removed, was examined and metal was found in the filter. A non-mechanic rated person performed preventative maintenance, changed the oil and oil filter prior to the accident. During the oil change, he noticed the metal, but did not consider this to be an indication of a problem.

NTSB Identification: CEN17LA010
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 02, 2016 in Clarendon, TX
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28-180, registration: N5196L
Injuries: 1 Minor.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On October 2, 2016, about 1520 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180 airplane, N5196L, was damaged during a forced landing near Clarendon, Texas. The student pilot sustained minor injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was operated by Coyote Flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight which operated under visual flight rules flight following. The cross country flight departed the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (AMA), Amarillo, Texas, at 1405 and was en route to the Childress Municipal Airport (CDS), Childress, Texas.

The pilot reported that while in cruise flight the engine stopped producing power and he performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane's wings and firewall were damaged.

The airplane was retained for further examination.

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