Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Ontario, California, July 25, 2004
On July 25, 2004 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, registered N5GC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ontario, California (Ontario airport). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a catastrophic engine failure due to the overheating of a connecting rod bearing, and the resulting failure of the rod, for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 2004 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ontario, California · Ontario · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N5GC · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7985030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a berm during a forced landing in an open field about 3/4-mile from an airport following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported that initially during the flight the engine had operated normally. However, after flying for several minutes, the engine started running rough, and oil appeared on the front windshield. Thereafter, all engine power was lost. During the subsequent examination of the engine about 10 quarts of oil were found in the sump, and a hole was found in the engine's case next to the oil dipstick port. The teardown examination of the engine revealed that, for undetermined reasons, the connecting rod bearing on rod number 5 had overheated to failure, and the connecting rod broke. The engine had been operated 40 hours since its last inspection and 806 hours since last receiving a major overhaul. The airplane's total time was about 6,325 hours.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,100 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,535 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,325 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 2003; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CCB Upland CA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: CCB Upland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26R, 12,198 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from ONT, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.