On May 29, 1997, a Piper PA-25-235 (registration N4497Y) operated by Rob Collins was involved in an aviation accident near Preston, MD. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The partial loss of engine power due to a failure of the left magneto, which led to a hard precautionary landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During an aerial application mission, an aircraft experienced partial engine power loss due to a magneto failure, resulting in a hard precautionary landing in a field.
What happened
The pilot was conducting an aerial application mission when the aircraft engine suffered a partial loss of power. In response to this mechanical issue, the pilot executed a precautionary landing in a nearby field. The landing was performed with significant force, resulting in a hard impact.
The investigation
Mechanical examination revealed that the power loss was caused by a failure of the left magneto. This component failure prevented the engine from operating at full capacity, necessitating the emergency landing.
Findings
The accident was reported more than 60 days after the date of the occurrence. By the time of reporting, the airplane had already been disassembled, which limited the scope of further physical evidence collection. The primary causal factor remains the left magneto failure leading to partial loss of power.
Probable cause
The partial loss of engine power due to a failure of the left magneto, which led to a hard precautionary landing.