LAUREL, MD, USA
N47759
PIPER PA-28-181
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT LEVELED AT 1500 FT MSL WHERE THE PLT SET POWER AT 2450 RPM. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, SHORTLY AFTERWARD A PARTIAL POWER LOSS OCCURRED. THE PLT UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO REGAIN POWER. HE TURNED BACK TO THE DEPARTURE ARPT AND HE DID A GO-AROUND WHEN THE FIRST APCH WAS TOO HIGH. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, AS HE CIRCLED TO LAND MORE POWER LOSS OCCURRED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT. THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY, STRIKING A GUY WIRE DURING THE APCH. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NUMBER THREE CYL EXHAUST VALVE HEAD SEPARATED. FRAGMENTS OF THE VALVE HEAD WERE FOUND INSIDE THE NUMBER TWO CYL. METALLURGICAL EXAM OF THE VALVE HEAD REVEALED IT WAS EXPOSED TO ABOVE NORMAL TEMP AND THE FRACTURE WAS CONSISTENT WITH OVERSTRESS.
LOST OF ENGINE POWER CAUSED BY MATERIAL FAILURE OF THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE. THE FAILURE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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