Piper PA-24-180 accident near Yakkama City, Florida, May 14, 1997
On May 14, 1997 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N7931P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yakkama City, Florida. It was a personal 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 complete loss of engine power due to the separation of the connecting rod bolts, resulting in a forced landing and impact with a tree. A factor in this accident was improper installation of the rod bolts by a mechanic.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 1997 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Yakkama City, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7931P · no longer on the register · serial 243165
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was about 25 miles east of the destination airport when the pilot reported that he 'heard maybe 2 seconds of ticking then complete engine failure. He spent about 10 to 15 seconds trying to stop the engine because he thought the engine would 'tear itself off the aircraft.' The pilot chose to make a forced landing in a field. One wing separated from the airplane when it collided with a tree on the approach, and the airplane traveled about 150 feet before it came to a stop. An engine teardown was performed under the supervision of the FAA, and revealed that all 4 connecting rod caps had come apart from their rods. The rod bolt nuts were found lying on the bottom of the oil pan. The investigation revealed that a mechanic had installed two (2) modified rod caps without the connecting rod assemblies, and without inspecting or servicing prior to installation on the engine. .
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 24,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 23,000 as pilot in command; 13,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,028 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUA Stuart FL at 12:30 pm
- Destination: SRQ Sarasota FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from SRQ, 25 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.