Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Redwood City, California, September 4, 1991
On September 4, 1991 at about 2:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N2080T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Redwood City, California. 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
THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER TWO CONNECTING ROD AND ROD CAP DUE TO AN ENGINE OVERSPEED CONDITION WHICH THE RODS AND ROD CAPS WERE EXPOSED AT SOME UNDETERMINED HISTORICAL POINT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 1991 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Redwood City, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N2080T · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7135024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 400 HOUR SINCE FACTORY REMANUFACTURED ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, THEN IT QUIT WITH A LOUD 'BANG.' THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE A FORCED LANDING IN A PASTURE AREA WHEN THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD AND ITS ASSOCIATED ROD CAP HAD FAILED. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF ALL CONNECTING RODS AND CAPS WAS PERFORMED. THE #2 ROD AND CAP FAILED DUE TO A FATIGUE FRACTURE WITH AN ORIGIN ON THE BORE SURFACE. AREAS OF GALLING WERE FOUND ON BOTH THE ROD CAP AND THE CONNECTING ROD BORE. CRACKS WERE IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE GALLED AREA ON THE NUMBER TWO CONNECTING ROD BORE. EXAMINATION OF THE THREE REMAINING CONNECTING RODS AND THEIR CAPS REVEALED GALLED AREAS WITHIN THE BORES. THE METALLURGISTS STATED THAT HE HAD OBSERVED SIMILAR FAILURES ON HELICOPTER PISTON ENGINES WHICH WERE KNOWN TO HAVE HAD AN OVERSPEED.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 492 hours in all; 393 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 307 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,646 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 1991; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-CIC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SQL San Carlos CA at 2:00 am
- Destination: SNS Salinas CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.