Piper PA28R accident near Bayonne, New Jersey, February 19, 2017
On February 19, 2017 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1972 Piper PA28R, registered N15745, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Bayonne, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Maintenance personnel’s incorrect installation of the No. 3 cylinder’s hydraulic valve tappet plunger, which resulted in a failure of the No. 3 cylinder’s intake valve and the subsequent partial 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
- February 19, 2017 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bayonne, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28R 200, built 1972 · all PA28Rs on the register
- Registration
- N15745 · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7335087
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that the personal local flight was uneventful until the engine made an odd noise, which was followed by a partial loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the problem, but the engine power was not fully restored, and the airplane was unable to maintain altitude, so the pilot made a forced landing to a road. The airplane struck power lines and vehicles before coming to rest on a sidewalk. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 3 cylinder's intake valve had separated. The valve stem was found in the oil pan, and the remainder of the valve was found in its intake manifold. Metallurgical examination of the No. 3 cylinder assembly, including the fractured intake valve, revealed that the valve was fractured in the stem in two places and through the head in one place. The interior of the cylinder exhibited damage consistent with impacts from the fractured valve. The connecting rod was intact, but the bearings were worn through both the babbit and copper layers. Examination of the fracture surfaces revealed fatigue cracks initiating from the fillet radius between the valve stem tip and the key area of the stem shaft. The other fractures were consistent with overstress. Further examination of the engine case revealed that all eight hydraulic valve tappet plungers were installed 180° opposite of the proper installation contained in the manufacturer's overhaul manual. The reversed installation of the plunger would have adversely affected the operation of the No. 3 cylinder's intake valve and placed an abnormal load on the valve's tip. A review of the engine's maintenance logbook revealed that the engine had been repaired about 35.7 hours before the accident. At that time, all four cylinders were removed and replaced, including the hydraulic valve tappet plunger assemblies. Given that the cylinders had been recently removed and reinstalled on the engine, including the hydraulic valve tappet plungers, it is likely that the engine experienced a partial loss of engine power due to maintenance personnel's improper installation of the No. 3 cylinder's hydraulic valve tappet plunger.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during maneuvering defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during maneuvering
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 97.5 hours in all
- Last flight review: March 7, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,059.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 17, 2016; 69 hours since
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 964 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 2:00 pm
- Destination: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 27,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from EWR, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on February 20, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pages from Lycoming Overhaul Manual | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Memorandum of Record - Engine Exam | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photos | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 17-042 | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 and Evidence Control Form | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.