Piper PA-28R-201T accident near Concord, California, January 2, 1993
On January 2, 1993 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, registered N2008M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Concord, California. It was a personal 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
THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER FAILING TO PROPERLY INSTALL TAB WASHERS DURING OVERHAUL WHICH RESULTED IN ONE BOLT BECOMING LOOSE AND BEING INGESTED THROUGH VARIOUS ENGINE GEAR DRIVES. THE INGESTION AND LOOSE OIL PUMP COVER RESULTED IN THE ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH AND A BURNING SMELL WHICH CAUSED THE PILOT TO HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1993 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Concord, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201T PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2008M · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7803099
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN IFR FLIGHT AT ABOUT 11,000 FEET MSL, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO. THE PILOT ALSO SAID HE SMELLED SOMETHING THAT WAS BURNING. THE PILOT ENTERED A DESCENT AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. WHILE ON THE VECTOR, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHER AND THE BURNING SMELL BECAME STRONGER. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND ENTERED A POWER OFF FORCED LANDING. HE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND DETERMINED THAT HE COULD NOT GLIDE TO THE AIRPORT. HE PERFORMED A LANDING TO THE ONLY AVAILABLE AREA. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH POSTS. AN FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE ENGINE. HE DETERMINED THAT 1 OF THE 4 BOLTS USED TO BOLT THE ENGINE OIL PUMP COVER TO THE CRANKCASE WAS MISSING. A DAMAGED BOLT WAS FOUND IN THE ENGINE'S CAMSHAFT GEAR. THE TAB WASHERS USED TO LOCK THE OIL PUMP COVER BOLTS HAD THEIR SINGLE TAB BENT DOWNWARD. THE TAB WASHERS' TWIN TABS ON THE 3 REMAINING BOLTS WERE POINTED STRAIGHT OUT. THEY APPEARED TO HAVE NEVER BEEN BENT INTO PLACE AFTER THE BOLTS WERE TIGHTENED. IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE WASHERS RESULTED IN ONE BOLT FALLING OFF AND BEING INGESTED THROUGH VARIOUS DRIVE GEARS. THE ENGINE WAS OVERHAULED BY THE MANUFACTURER 515 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 716 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 628 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,227 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 1992; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-FB3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O56 Navato CA at 9:17 pm
- Destination: CCB Upland CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from CCR, 1 miles away
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.