Piper PA-28 accident near Melbourne, Florida, March 29, 2022
On March 29, 2022 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1961 Piper PA-28, registered N5067W, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Melbourne, Florida (Melbourne Orlando Internationa airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to oil starvation as a result of the failure of the No. 3 crankshaft journal bearing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 2022 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Melbourne, Florida · Melbourne Orlando Internationa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28, built 1961 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N5067W · registry record · serial 28-76
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/mechanic was hired to perform a pre-buy inspection of the airplane and then fly it cross-county to the new owner. During the inspection, he noted that the cylinders had been replaced and was told by the seller that the break-in for the new cylinders was not completed. The pilot stated that he “knew that it was going to be a risky flight home,” but decided to proceed with the flight. Observing no anomalies, he departed on course, and about 45 minutes into the flight, he noticed that the engine was running rough and the oil pressure was low. He notified air traffic control and turned back to the nearest airport to land. The engine continued to run rough, so he shut the engine down and thought he could glide to the runway. Once he realized that the airplane would not reach the runway, he maneuvered to land in a parking lot, during which the airplane impacted telephone wires and came to rest inverted. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 3 crankshaft journal bearing was pitted and smeared, and that two of the engine’s connecting rods had fractured. The condition of the bearing likely blocked the passage of oil through the engine, resulting in oil starvation that would have led to increased heat and ultimately the observed connecting rod 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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Engine shutdown during emergency descent
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 422 hours in all; 243 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 2, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,762 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2021
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 2,760 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 00FL Okeechobee FL at 6:00 pm
- Destination: LBT Lumberton NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9R, 10,181 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KMLB, 3 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMLB 291853Z 05009KT 10SM CLR 26/16 A3014 RMK AO2 SLP206 T02560161
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on October 19, 2023. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Wreckage Examination | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | 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.