Saturday, December 07, 2019

Loss of Engine Power (Partial): Piper PA-32RT-300 Lance II, N31678; accident occurred April 30, 2017 in Coral Springs, Broward County, Florida



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

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Miramar, Florida

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


Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms 
 
http://registry.faa.gov/N31678


Location: Coral Springs, FL
Accident Number: ERA17LA169
Date & Time: 04/30/2017, 1330 EDT
Registration: N31678
Aircraft: PIPER PA32RT
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (partial)
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On April 30, 2017, about 1330 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA32RT-300, N31678, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Coral Springs, Florida. The airline transport pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight.

According to the pilot, during cruise flight he noticed that the engine manifold pressure dropped. He advanced the throttle forward to regain engine power, with no response from the engine. The engine continued to run smoothly at a reduced power setting; however, he was unable to maintain altitude. After several additional unsuccessful attempts to increase engine power, the pilot declared an emergency, and subsequently performed a forced landing on a levy. During the landing roll, the airplane veered off the side of the levy and collided with a ditch.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the aft right wing spar was damaged. An examination of the throttle body fuel injection servo revealed the throttle cable linkage attachment was disconnected from throttle body. An inspection of the throttle cable revealed the cable operated smoothly without any binding, and it moved freely while opening and closing the throttle position. The fuel injection throttle body servo was removed from aircraft for further inspection and revealed that the throttle linkage was loose at the attachment point of the throttle body fuel injection servo. The castle nut and cotter pin were installed but the castle nut was loose, not allowing the throttle linkage teeth to make full contact with fuel injection throttle body servo linkage teeth that controlled the butterfly valve within the throttle body. Operating the linkage manually revealed that the linkage slipped since the gear teeth were not tightened completely and did not make full contact locking together. The throttle linkage gear teeth were also worn with flat spots on some of the gearing teeth. The throttle body linkage gearing teeth also had flat spots on the assembly.

According to the airplane's maintenance records, the engine was most recently overhauled in June 2014. At that time an overhauled throttle body fuel injection servo was installed onto the engine. The engine had since undergone annual inspections in August 2015 and September 2016, and both of the maintenance log entries documenting those inspections did not explicitly mention inspection or maintenance of the throttle body fuel injection servo. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline Transport
Age: 72, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Multi-engine Sea; Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 02/02/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  18737 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1552 hours (Total, this make and model), 18501 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 130 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 28 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 3 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Pilot-Rated Passenger Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 61, Female
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 12/05/2013
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  261 hours (Total, all aircraft), 109 hours (Total, this make and model), 29 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: PIPER
Registration: N31678
Model/Series: PA32RT 300
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1978
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 32R-7885119
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 6
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 09/01/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3600 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 36 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3794.24 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-540KIG5D
Registered Owner: N31678 LLC
Rated Power: 300 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: FXE, 13 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1333 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 360°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Unknown
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 2400 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 21 knots / 26 knots
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 110°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting:
Temperature/Dew Point: 31°C / 21°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: WINTER HAVEN, FL (GIF)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (FXE)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 1200 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude:  26.315278, -80.240556 (est)

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