Piper PA-28R-200 N1KU accident near Eliza Island, Washington

Probable cause

The total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to the failure of maintenance personnel to tighten a fitting on the propeller governor oil line, which resulted in a loss of engine oil and catastrophic engine failure.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that the airplane had recently underwent an annual inspection and the accident flight was to be the first flight after the maintenance. After about 10 to 15 minutes into the flight, the engine experienced a total loss of power. During a forced landing to a grass strip, the pilot turned the controls over to his more experienced pilot-rated passenger to perform the landing. As the airplane slowed for landing, the automatic landing gear extension system deployed the landing gear. The airplane subsequently landed short of the runway and the right wing struck a post. The fuselage was twisted and both wings were bent/wrinkled as a result. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the crankcase was cracked and the bottom of the fuselage was covered with oil. The oil was traced to originate from a fitting that attached the propeller governor high-pressure oil line from the nose of the crankcase to the propeller governor. The fitting was found to be loose and likely not adequately tightened by maintenance personnel. Maintenance records indicated that during the annual inspection the propeller governor on the engine's accessory section had been removed in an effort to replace its gasket.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR10LA165 for the full record.