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May 21, 1982 · Piper PA-31P · N40NC

Salina, KS

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 21, 1982
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (3 uninjured)
Location
Salina, KS
Aircraft
Piper PA-31P
Tail Number
N40NC
Operator
James D Nelson
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
MKC82DA087

According to the pilot, the left engine began running rough at about 300 ft AGL after takeoff and the roughness was accompanied by a slight left yaw. The pilot said the left engine was producing some power so he elected not to feather the propeller. The aircraft would not maintain altitude; therefore, the pilot elected to make a gear-up landing in a wheat field. An investigation revealed the plane had been involved in a previous gear-up landing and had accumulated 420 hours since then. An examination of the left engine revealed that the propeller would rotate freely without rotation of the crankshaft. Examination revealed that the spline bushing, PN 75462, turned freely in the front of the crankshaft, and the three dowels, PN 75359, were not in place. The bushing, which is pressed into the crankshaft during assembly, was loose enough to permit removal by hand. The dowels were found in the engine oil sump and were bent and deformed.

Full Narrative

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL AFTER TAKEOFF AND THE ROUGHNESS WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A SLIGHT LEFT YAW. THE PILOT SAID THE LEFT ENGINE WAS PRODUCING SOME POWER SO HE ELECTED NOT TO FEATHER THE PROPELLER. THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE; THEREFORE, THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A GEAR-UP LANDING IN A WHEAT FIELD. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PLANE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS GEAR-UP LANDING AND HAD ACCUMULATED 420 HOURS SINCE THEN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER WOULD ROTATE FREELY WITHOUT ROTATION OF THE CRANKSHAFT. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE SPLINE BUSHING, PN 75462, TURNED FREELY IN THE FRONT OF THE CRANKSHAFT, AND THE THREE DOWELS, PN 75359, WERE NOT IN PLACE. THE BUSHING, WHICH IS PRESSED INTO THE CRANKSHAFT DURING ASSEMBLY, WAS LOOSE ENOUGH TO PERMIT REMOVAL BY HAND. THE DOWELS WERE FOUND IN THE ENGINE OIL SUMP AND WERE BENT AND DEFORMED.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time08:12 CDT
Nearest AirportSalina Muni (0nm N)
Runway17
Runway Length13330 ft
Runway Width300 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-31P
Tail NumberN40NC
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorJames D Nelson
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · TIGO-541-E1A · Reciprocating · 425
Seats7

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (3 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured3
Total3
Crew 1Age 42 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind260° @ 10 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point13 C / 0 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time07:50

Appendix: Source Data