Probable cause
The failure of the engine's front bearing seal due to maintenance personnel’s installation of an improperly sized crankshaft seal, which resulted in oil starvation and a forced landing.
NTSB analysis
The airplane was in cruise flight when the engine's forward main seal (crankshaft seal) began to leak engine oil. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power, and the pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a field about 5 miles west of the departure airport.
Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the bottom half of the crankshaft seal had slipped forward from its placement, which allowed engine oil to leak from the engine. The seal had an approximate time in service of 21 hours since its replacement. It is likely that maintenance personne installed an improperly sized crankshaft seal, which led to it slipping, allowing the engine oil to leak.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN17LA226 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jun 9, 2017
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Dalhart, Texas
- Nearest airport
- Dalhart Municipal Airport (DHT)
- Highest injury
- Minor
- Minor injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Piper PA 32R-301T
- N-number
- N782SW
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1983
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.