CATASTROPHIC ENG FAILURE IN A PA31 ATX FERRY FLT AFTER ENG SEIZED DUE TO LOSS OF ENG OIL. TEMPORARY LOSS OF ACFT CTL. EMER RETURN LAND.

Narrative

DEPARTED SAN SALVADOR; BAHAMAS; AFTER DROPPING OFF 7 PAX IN A PA31. CLBING THROUGH 5000 FT I NOTICED AN OIL LEAK ON R ENG WHICH WENT FROM MODERATE TO VERY HVY IN JUST A FEW SECONDS; THEN OIL PRESSURE DROPPED AND TEMP WENT UP; SO I DECIDED TO SHUT IT DOWN. AS I WAS FEATHERING THE PROP; THE ENG SEIZED UP AND BLEW THE #2 CYLINDER THROUGH THE COWLING. THE COWL OPENED UP LIKE A CLAM SHELL (APPROX 3 FT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM INFLT). THE COWL DID STAY ON BUT THE PLANE WANTED TO ROLL OVER. THE PLANE SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND HAD AN UNCTLABLE YAW DUE TO THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DRAG. I GOT THE PLANE BACK ON THE GND SAFELY AT MYSM WITH A LOT OF HELP FROM ABOVE. WHEN I WALKED AROUND TO THE R ENG I COULD SEE THAT CYLINDER WAS HANGING BY THE FUEL LINE ONLY AND THE CAM SHAFT CAME OUT THE TOP OF THE BLOCK ON ABOUT A 30 DEG ANGLE AND THE COWL WAS DESTROYED. IT WAS SOME TYPE OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE FOR BOTH THE ENG AND MY HEART. IF ANY QUESTIONS; PLEASE CALL. I HOPE OTHERS CAN LEARN FROM THIS AND HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL COME UP WITH AN STC COWL REINFORCEMENT KIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED HE HAD PERFORMED A POSTFLT AND PREFLT INSPECTION ON THE ACFT AFTER PAX DELIVERY. THE CATASTROPHIC ENG FAILURE OCCURRED FIRST AND THAT WAS WHY HE WAS SEEING OIL FLOWING OUT OF THE ENG. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE ENG WAS HIGH ON TIME SINCE TOTAL BLOCK OVERHAUL; AND MAY HAVE EXCEEDED THE NORMAL 2500 HRS. THE 6 CYLINDER ENG IN QUESTION HAD BEEN OPERATED BY SOMEONE ELSE PRIOR TO BEING USED BY THIS UNSCHEDULED PART 135 OPERATOR (LESS THAN 5 DAYS A WK SVC). THE POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT 3 CYLINDERS HAD COME OFF THE CAM SHAFT; WITH 1 PENETRATING THE COWLING AND 'CLAM SHELLING IT.' EVEN THOUGH THE ACFT WAS MOST DIFFICULT TO CTL; AT LEAST HE DID NOT LOSE THE COWLING AND HAVE IT STRIKE THE TAIL OF THE ACFT AS IT HAS IN SOME PAST ACCIDENTS THAT HE REFERRED TO. WHEN THAT OCCURS; THE TAIL IS SO BADLY DAMAGED; IF NOT SEPARATED; THAT THE ACFT CTL IS LOST AND THE ACFT HAS CRASHED. THAT IS WHY HE FILED THE RPT; TO WARN PLTS THAT THE PA31 CAN HAVE THIS KIND OF SCENARIO OCCUR IF THE COWLING IS NOT REINFORCED. THIS ACFT'S OWNER HAD THE COWLING REINFORCING MODIFICATION DONE SO THE COWLING DID STAY ON THE ACFT. HE WANTED THE PA31 OPERATORS TO KNOW ABOUT HIS INCIDENT. HE THINKS THAT PIPER ACFT KNOWS OF THIS; AS WELL AS THE FAA. SUGGEST A TELECON TO THE FAA REGARDING THIS SUBJECT AND AN ABR TO PIPER AND PA31 OWNERS VIA WHATEVER CHANNELS NORMALLY USED.