Piper PA-28-180 accident near Lucedale, Mississippi, June 8, 2010
On June 8, 2010 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N5118L, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Lucedale, Mississippi. 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 partial separation of the No. 3 cylinder due to improper torquing of the cylinder hold-down bolts by maintenance personnel during installation of the cylinder.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2010 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lucedale, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5118L · no longer on the register · serial 28-4401
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 20 minutes after takeoff, the pilot heard a "pop" that sounded as if it came from the engine compartment. The engine then experienced a loss of power and the pilot elected to perform a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane nosed over. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 3 cylinder had partially separated from the engine case. Additionally, the attaching hardware was loose and the thru-bolts were broken. The cylinder had been replaced 16 flight hours prior to the accident.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Replacement › Maintenance personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 590 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 473 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 8, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,247 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4R4 Fairhope AL at 4:30 pm
- Destination: PIB Hattiesburg MS
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from MOB, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.