WOODLAND, CA, USA
N595SP
PIPER PA-28-140
THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE IN THE CRUISE PORTION OF A CROSS COUNTRY PERSONAL FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE RPM AND OIL PRESSURE BEGAN TO DROP. THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING AND THE PILOT SELECTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A GRASSY FIELD THAT HAD A DITCH ACROSS THE LANDING AREA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER OVER THE DITCH, THE LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE SIDE OF THE DITCH, TEARING OFF THE LANDING GEAR AND DAMAGING BOTH WINGS. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE TO THE OIL COOLER OIL LINE RUPTURED. MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE OIL LINE HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE FOR THE LAST 1,600 HOURS AND A 100-HOUR INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED 50 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. REPLACEMENT OF THE LINE IS REQUIRED NO LATER THAN 1,000 HOURS OF SERVICE AND THE COMPANY MECHANIC DID NOT REPLACE THE OIL LINE.
THE COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL'S INADEQUATE 100-HOUR INSPECTION AND FAILURE TO REPLACE THE OIL LINE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RUPTURE OF THE OIL LINE AND THE DITCH THAT TRAVERSED THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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