Piper PA-24-250 incident near Sherman, Illinois, October 24, 2006
On October 24, 2006 at about 6:13 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N6090P, was involved in an incident near Sherman, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loose connecting rod bolt due to a loss of torque and subsequent failure of the connecting rod during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 2006 · about 6:13 pm local time
- Place
- Sherman, Illinois · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6090P · registry record · serial 24-1189
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot executed a forced landing when the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power during cruise flight. Examination of the engine crankshaft and attached rod components revealed that both nuts on the number three connecting rod were backed off from their original installed positions. One nut on the number four connecting rod had also backed off but had not failed. Bolt preload is related to installation torque but with many variables such as lubrication, thread deformities/variations, rough surfaces, and contamination. Torques tests showed a variance of 18-25 percent of torque values between the tightening and loosening of the nut. The breakaway torque values were within the range of the test values for properly torqued nuts; however due to the uncertainty of the readings no conclusion can be drawn as to the adequecy of the original installation torque. Also, no measurements were possible on the separated number three rod and the damaged number four nuts.
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: 500 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,678 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPI Springfield IL at 5:50 pm
- Destination: JOT Joliet IL
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from SPI, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.