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November 3, 1988 · Piper PA-28R-200 · N9467N

Anaheim, CA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
November 3, 1988
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (1 fatality, 1 serious injury)
Location
Anaheim, CA
Aircraft
Piper PA-28R-200
Tail Number
N9467N
Operator
U S Marine Corps
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
LAX89FA032

Five minutes after departure and during normal cruise flight, the certified flight instructor noticed a prop overspeed. He immediately pulled back on the prop control to reduce engine R.P.M. and instructed the student, a private pilot, to divert to the airplane's home base. Two minutes after the overspeed, the engine 'sputtered' for 5 seconds and seized. The instructor took control of the airplane and executed a forced landing on a hillside. The airplane brushed small branches at the top of a tree and collided with the terrain. The pilot stated that he 'used all the airspeed to reach a suitable landing spot', and could not flare the airplane to cushion the landing. An examination of the engine revealed evidence of an oil exhaustion. The oil quick drain was found to be in the open and locked position. An examination of records revealed that the drain was the incorrect part. There was an AD concerning the incorrect oil drain being opened by contact with the landing gear during retraction.

Full Narrative

FIVE MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE AND DURING NORMAL CRUISE FLIGHT, THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR NOTICED A PROP OVERSPEED. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED BACK ON THE PROP CONTROL TO REDUCE ENGINE R.P.M. AND INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT, A PRIVATE PILOT, TO DIVERT TO THE AIRPLANE'S HOME BASE. TWO MINUTES AFTER THE OVERSPEED THE ENGINE 'SPUTTERED' FOR 5 SECONDS AND SEIZED. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING ON A HILLSIDE. THE AIRPLANE BRUSHED SMALL BRANCHES AT THE TOP OF A TREE AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE 'USED ALL THE AIRSPEED TO REACH A SUITABLE LANDING SPOT', AND COULD NOT FLARE THE AIRPLANE TO CUSHION THE LANDING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED EVIDENCE OF AN OIL EXHAUSTION. THE OIL QUICK DRAIN WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE OPEN AND LOCKED POSITION. AN EXAMINATION OF RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE DRAIN WAS THE INCORRECT PART. THERE WAS AN AD CONCERNING THE INCORRECT OIL DRAIN BEING OPENED BY CONTACT WITH THE LNDG GEAR DURING RETRACTION.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time13:14 PST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledVFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-28R-200
Tail NumberN9467N
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorU S Marine Corps
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-360-C1C · Reciprocating · 200
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (1 fatality, 1 serious injury)
Fatal1
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 29 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind260° @ 7 kt
Visibility6 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point70 F / 52
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time21:45
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data