Piper PA-32R-301 accident near Meridian, Mississippi, June 7, 2002
On June 7, 2002 at about 6:48 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-301, registered N697MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Meridian, Mississippi (Key Field Airport). 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
inadequate quality control of the manufacturing processes of the crankshaft gear bolt, resulting in failure of the gear bolt, due to hydrogen embrittlement, a total loss of engine power, and damage to the airplane during the subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2002 · about 6:48 pm local time
- Place
- Meridian, Mississippi · Key Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301 · all PA-32R-301s on the register
- Registration
- N697MA · no longer on the register · serial 3246069
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had been airborne for about 45 minutes practicing turns and instrument approaches in VFR condition. He had completed a practice instrument approach to runway 1, was following the published missed approach, and the flight had attained an altitude of about 500 to 600 feet when he reported that he heard a "...loud pop, and the engine quit immediately...[without] warning of the impending engine stoppage." He declared an emergency, was cleared to land, turned left onto a short base leg to runway 1, could not maintain altitude, and he could not make it to the runway. The pilot elected to land in a field, and impacted with trees short of the runway threshold. An engine disassembly revealed that the engine failure was due a broken crankshaft gear bolt, and the separation of the crankshaft gear from the rear of the crankshaft. A laboratory examination of the failed crankshaft gear bolt, revealed that crankshaft bolt part number STD-2209, had failed due to hydrogen embrittlement. The NTSB Materials Laboratory's analysis found that the preponderance of evidence and reference information indicated that the manufacturing cycle (plating/bake delay/bake itself) was the most likely source of hydrogen embrittlement.
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: 656 hours in all; 285 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 590 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 5, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 447.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 7, 2001; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEI Meridian MS at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 10,004 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KMEI
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.