Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Watertown, Wisconsin, October 17, 2011
On October 17, 2011 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N300KR, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Watertown, Wisconsin (Watertown Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 separation of the number 2 connecting rod from the crankshaft for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident metallurgical examination, which ultimately resulted in a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2011 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Watertown, Wisconsin · Watertown Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N300KR · registry record · serial 28R-7635210
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilots were about 5 miles from the destination airport when they heard a "loud bang" and engine oil immediately covered the front windshield. The engine continued to produce partial power until the airplane was in the airport traffic pattern, and then it lost total power. Due to a complete lack of forward visibility and another airplane in the runway run-up area, the flight instructor elected to make a forced landing on a roadway bordering the east side of the airport. The airplane struck a car and a pole before coming to a stop. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the number 2 connecting rod had separated from the crankshaft. The connecting rod failed about mid-length, with the upper portion remaining attached to the piston. The lower portion of the connecting rod was not recovered. The upper portion of the connecting rod and a recovered section of the rod cap both failed as a result of overstress bending. Neither component appeared discolored, which suggests there was an adequate engine oil supply before the failure. The number 1 and 3 connecting rods remained attached to the crankshaft; the number 4 connecting rod had separated from the crankshaft. The number 1, 3, and 4 connecting rods were discolored, consistent with continued operation with an insufficient supply of engine oil. Deformation of the lower end of the number 4 connecting rod was consistent with secondary mechanical damage; however, the rod appeared otherwise undeformed. A lack of evidence of oil starvation and the preponderance of crankcase damage in the area of the number 2 cylinder suggests that the engine failure was initiated by the separation of the number 2 connecting rod from the crankshaft. Metallurgical examination of the number 2 cylinder assembly and related components did not identify the initiating cause of this connecting rod separation. The total loss of engine power occurred upon separation of the number 4 connecting rod, which was precipitated by the prior loss of engine oil and secondary to the initial failure.
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
What happened, in order
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during maneuvering defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground vehicle › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,900 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 4,800 as pilot in command; 4,600 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 3, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 190 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,102.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 24, 2011; 81.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wisconsin Aviation-Four Lakes INC
The flight
- Departed from: RYV Watertown WI at 6:00 pm
- Destination: RYV Watertown WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,429 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from RYV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N300KR the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.