Summary
On 10 October 2022, a Piper PA-34-200T aircraft, registration HK2946, was conducting an air ambulance flight from Guaymaral Airport (SKGY) in Bogotá, Colombia. During climb over the Tominé reservoir, the crew observed abnormal indications on the right engine instruments, including power loss, rising oil temperature, and decreasing oil pressure. They requested to return to Guaymaral without declaring an emergency. On final approach to runway 29, the right engine shut down completely, resulting in a hard landing that caused the right main landing gear tire to burst. The aircraft came to a stop on the runway, and the crew evacuated with assistance from airport firefighters. No fire occurred, but a significant oil leak was noted from the right engine. No injuries were reported among the two crew members and two medical personnel on board.
Factual Information
The aircraft was a Piper PA-34-200T twin-engine piston airplane, serial number and year not specified in the report. It was operated by an air ambulance service. The flight departed Guaymaral at 07:35 local time. After takeoff from runway 11, the aircraft followed the GUATE1B visual departure. Anomalies on the right engine were detected while over the Tominé reservoir. The crew coordinated with Bogotá Control to return and switched to Guaymaral Tower frequency for a right base leg to runway 29. The engine failure occurred at the runway threshold. Post-incident inspection revealed that the oil cap was missing from the right engine, leading to oil loss and subsequent engine damage. The aircraft was removed from the runway approximately 30 minutes after the incident, after which airport operations resumed.
Investigation Findings
The investigation focused on the right engine's loss of lubrication. It was determined that the oil cap had been left loose or improperly closed during preflight oil servicing by the operator, allowing oil to escape in flight. This caused progressive lubrication failure and catastrophic internal wear, culminating in a complete loss of engine power. The crew did not take actions to reduce power or shut down the affected engine despite clear indications of lubrication loss, possibly due to concerns about single-engine performance at altitude. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the right engine, but the extent of other damage was not further detailed.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the serious incident was the progressive loss of lubrication in the No. 2 engine due to the operator's deficient oil filling and verification procedures, which left the oil cap loose or improperly closed, resulting in oil escape during flight. Additionally, the crew's inadequate procedures in not reducing power or securing the No. 2 engine despite evident signs of lubrication loss contributed to the total engine failure.