Piper PA32-300 accident near Maiden, North Carolina, December 27, 2005
On December 27, 2005 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA32-300, registered N2887M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Maiden, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to the failure of the No. 5 main bearing due to overheating for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2005 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Maiden, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32-300 · all PA32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N2887M · no longer on the register · serial 32-7840059
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was in contact with air traffic control personnel while climbing to his assigned altitude. The engine lost power and the pilot attempted an engine restart without success and informed the controller of the loss of engine power. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a field. The airplane collided with terraces that ran upslope on the landing roll out. The airplane rotated 30-degrees to the left separating the left wing. The engine was removed and examined. Disassembly of the engine revealed the No. 5 main bearing journal and bearing shells were severely worn and gouged. Examination of the main bearing journal by the NTSB Materials laboratory revealed the journal surface was circumferentially gouged across its entire width, with attendant heat tinting of the journal and adjacent surfaces. Macro etching of a rough ground cross section through the crankshaft revealed lighter etching regions adjacent to the journal surface consistent with overheating of journal surface.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 295 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 232 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,210 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2005; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO 540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KHKY Hickory NC at 7:45 pm
- Destination: 8S5 Mount. Pleasant SC
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from KCLT, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.