Accident Overview
On February 13, 2015, about 2330 central standard time, a Piper PA-28R-180 airplane, registration N3918T, experienced a loss of engine power and subsequently impacted terrain during a forced landing near Haviland, Kansas. The private pilot and passenger were uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial wing damage. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 and was not operated on a flight plan. Night visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailed. The flight originated about 2118 from East Kansas City Airport (3GV) in Grain Valley, Missouri, and was destined for Dalhart Municipal Airport (DHT) in Dalhart, Texas.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine rating and a third-class medical certificate without limitations. He reported 183 hours of total flight time, with 2 hours in the same make and model. The airplane was a 1967 Piper PA-28R-180, a four-seat, low-wing, retractable tricycle-gear, single-engine aircraft powered by a 180-horsepower Lycoming IO-360-B1E engine. The most recent annual inspection was completed on October 21, 2014, and the aircraft had accumulated 3,156 hours total time.
Maintenance History
According to the pilot, a pre-purchase inspection was performed by a mechanic. During that inspection, the mechanic inquired about a cylinder change and was told it had been recently replaced. The mechanic subsequently replaced the number four cylinder assembly due to time constraints. The replacement followed procedures in the Lycoming Operators Manual and Overhaul Manual. The mechanic reported that the connecting rod was rebushed, and the rod bolts and nuts were replaced and torqued to specified values. Cylinder break-in procedures were performed according to Lycoming Service Instructions 1427C, though the required continuous two-hour flight was not completed due to multiple shorter flights. No abnormalities were reported on flights before the accident.
Accident Sequence
About 2.2 hours into the flight, the pilot heard a "pop" and felt a "severe vibration" for about five seconds. The engine rapidly lost power. An "explosion" was heard, and the airplane decelerated and pitched down. The emergency locator transmitter activated. The pilot attempted to restart the engine without success. He identified a road and performed a forced landing to the west. The landing gear selector was placed down; only the main landing gear lights illuminated, and emergency extension procedures did not deploy the nose gear. The pilot kept the nose gear up to avoid oncoming traffic. The airplane touched down at about 75 mph, struck a highway sign pole, turned 90 degrees, hit a culvert, and came to rest about 50 feet from the road.
Weather and Wreckage Examination
At 2335, weather recorded at Pratt Regional Airport near Pratt, Kansas, included wind 230 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 1°C, dew point -2°C, and altimeter 30.21 inches of mercury.
Post-accident examination by an FAA inspector revealed that the number four engine cylinder had separated from the crankcase. The piston was found separated from its connecting pin but remained within the cylinder bore. The engine was disassembled under NTSB supervision. Findings included a large hole in the crankcase between the number 3 and 4 cylinders, camshaft separation near the number 3 and 4 intake lobes, severe bending of the number 4 connecting rod, and a loose nut on the number 4 connecting rod. The oil pump contained debris. Computed tomography imaging of the number 4 cylinder head showed three cracked areas within the remaining piston head.
Probable Cause
The investigation did not state a probable cause.