Piper PA-18-105 accident near Palos Verdes, California, August 20, 2005
On August 20, 2005 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-105, registered N294T, was destroyed in an accident near Palos Verdes, California. It was a banner-towing 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
a loss of engine power due to the cyclic fatigue failure and separation of the number 4 piston.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2005 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Palos Verdes, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-105 · all PA-18-105s on the register
- Registration
- N294T · registry record · serial 182468
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a banner towing flight over the ocean along the coast, the engine lost power and the airplane ditched in the water. While in cruise flight, the engine began to run rough and lose a significant amount of power. The pilot attempted corrective measures (applying and removing carburetor heat and releasing the banner), but the airplane continued to lose power. The engine was not producing enough power for continued flight and the pilot landed in the water short of the beach. When the airplane hit the water, it nosed over and came to rest inverted. Post accident examination revealed that the number 4 piston had fractured around the circumference of the piston just above the connecting rod pin and had beach mark signatures consistent with cyclic fatigue. Fractured pieces of the piston were found in the oil sump. The aft piston pin end cap was worn and burnished. The forward piston pin end cap separated from the piston pin, with fracture surface signatures consistent with overload. The rod journal bearing was also worn and burnished. The number 4 connecting rod journal of the crankshaft was cracked and the connecting rod cheek on the crankshaft was fractured perpendicular to the rod journal. The journal cheek fracture exhibited beach marks consistent with cyclic fatigue. The fracture had an irregular shape that provided a "key" that maintained rotational continuity of the crankshaft during operation; however, the fracture also allowed the crankshaft to flex. Flexing of the crankshaft induced a rotational misalignment of the connecting rod, which in turn induced the cyclic fatigue failure of the piston. This condition was likely on-going for some time prior to the final fatigue failure. Copious amounts of small metal debris and flakes were retrieved from the oil pressure filter screen that were consistent with the rod end cap bearing material and should have been apparent if the screen and filter were being checked for contaminants on a regular basis. Lycoming Mandatory Service Bulletin (SB) No. 480E recommends an oil change, pressure screen cleaning and oil sump screen check at 25-hour intervals. The SB continues that observation of abnormal metal content during the service may indicate additional service is required. Examination of maintenance records revealed that it had been 112 hours since the last 100-hour inspection at the time of the accident. The aircraft and engine logbooks contained no record of the operator following the recommended procedures as set forth in SB 480E.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,547 hours in all; 838 in this make and model; 263 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,589 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2005; 120 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA at 7:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N294T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.