ANSON, TX, USA
N57751
PIPER PA-36-285
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, WHILE IN FLT, THE ENG WAS RUNNING SMOOTH, BUT SEEMED TO LACK POWER. HE CHECKED THE INSTRUMENTS & NOTED THAT THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE & ENG RPM WERE NORMAL. THEN WHILE AT APRX 60 FT AGL, ALL POWER WAS LOST. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED ON ROLLING TERRAIN. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT WAS NEAR ITS MAX WT LIMIT & THAT THE PLT DID NOT JETTISON HIS LOAD. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE #1 EXHAUST VALVE ROCKER SHAFT COVER WAS MISSING. THE RESPECTIVE SHAFT HAD COME OUT & ALLOWED THE ROCKER ARM TO COME LOOSE. ALSO, THE TOP RINGS ON THE #1 & #4 CYLINDER WERE FOUND TO BE BROKEN. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THESE HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. ADDITIONALLY, OIL WAS FOUND ON THE AIR SIDE OF THE FUEL CONTROL MANIFOLD. THE ENG HAD ONLY 43 HRS FLT TIME SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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