Fatal Piper Malibu Crash Near Invermere, British Columbia (C-GTCS)

Incident Overview and Flight Details A privately operated Piper Malibu PA-46-310P was flying under an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan from Salem, Oregon, to Springbank, Alberta. During its descent through 17,000 feet, approximately 55 nautical miles southwest of Calgary, the pilot declared an emergency to the Edmonton Area Control Centre, reporting an engine failure. ## Crash and Casualties The pilot attempted an emergency landing at the Fairmont Hot Springs airport in British Columbia. However, the aircraft crashed at night at approximately 1912 mountain daylight time in wooded terrain about 11 nautical miles east of Invermere, British Columbia. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. ## Official Findings and Probable Cause The official investigation identified an unapproved part installed in the alternator coupling as the primary cause of the accident. This part generated debris that partially blocked oil flow to the number two connecting rod bearing. The resulting low oil flow caused overheating and the failure of the bearings, connecting rod cap bolts and nuts, and ultimately the engine. ## Contributing Factors and Risk Findings The investigation noted that the engine failure occurred after sunset, and low-lighting conditions in the valley would have made selecting a suitable landing area difficult. Additionally, engine knocking was not reported to maintenance personnel, which prevented an opportunity to discover the deteriorating engine condition. A risk finding indicated that all flights on the day of the accident were carried out without the oil filler cap in place, which could have resulted in the loss of engine oil. ## Other Findings The investigation also found that there were no current instrument flight rules charts or approach plates on board the aircraft for the intended flight. Furthermore, the Teledyne Continental Motors Service Bulletin M84-5 addressed only the 520 series engines and did not include other gear-driven alternator equipped engines.