Fpna LLC A-22 Valor accident near Hunting Island, South Carolina, December 23, 2009
On December 23, 2009 at about 8:32 pm local time, a Fpna LLC A-22 Valor, registered N721FP, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Hunting Island, South Carolina. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Maintenance personnel's inadequate inspection of the oil system's fittings during a routine oil servicing, which resulted in oil starvation due to a loose and/or detached oil line B-nut fitting that led to the engine seizing while in flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2009 · about 8:32 pm local time
- Place
- Hunting Island, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fpna LLC A-22 Valor · all A-22 Valors on the register
- Registration
- N721FP · no longer on the register · serial 263
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While maneuvering as part of a formation flight, the pilot noticed that the electronic instruments were dimming and that the oil pressure gauge indicated zero. About 10 seconds later, the engine seized and the pilot performed a forced landing on a dirt road. The airplane incurred substantial damage during landing when it veered into a ditch. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No.1 cylinder's connecting rod was protruding through the top of the engine case. Upon removal of the engine cowling, the brass B-nut was found separated from the oil cooler fitting. There was no apparent damage to the threads on the inside of the nut and no damage on the outside of the fitting. Oil was present in the oil sump and on the oil dipstick. The engine had a dry sump forced lubrication system. The oil pump extracts the oil from the oil tank via the oil cooler and forces it through the oil filter to the engine. According to notations found in the airplane's maintenance logbook, the engine's oil had been changed 1.6 flight hours prior to the accident. According to the owner, maintenance personnel did not touch the oil cooler or fittings during the oil change service. The engine manufacturer’s Service Instructions manual had a warning associated with servicing and purging of the oil system. The warning stated that maintenance personnel should carefully check all lubrication system connections, lines and clamps for leaks and security.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Eng oil sys (airframe furnish) › Eng oil dist (airframe furn) › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 533 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 201 in the last 90 days; 578 in the last 30 days; 517 as pilot in command; 245 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 26, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 463 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 4, 2009; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,199 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 UL (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Costal Empire Flight Training Academy LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SAV Savannah GA at 8:10 pm
- Destination: SAV Savannah GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 21,000 ft; ovct at 21,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from SAV, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA10LA100.