Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Scottsville, Virginia, October 20, 1997
On October 20, 1997 at about 2:46 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, registered N2200J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Scottsville, Virginia. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
improper engine operation by undetermined person(s) that initiated gauling on the connecting rod, and led to its subsequent failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 1997 · about 2:46 pm local time
- Place
- Scottsville, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N2200J · registry record · serial 32R-7985041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot leveled off at his cruise altitude of 6,500 feet, the engine started to vibrate, and oil was observed leaking from the engine cowling. The vibration and oil flow increased in intensity, and the pilot shut the engine off, and performed a forced landing to a field. During the ground roll, the airplane struck a berm about 2 feet high. Examination of the engine revealed the number 2 connecting rod had failed between the wrist pin hole and crankshaft yoke. Metallurgical examination of the fracture found fatigue, and evidence of gauling in the area of the connecting rod bolt holes. Gauling was also found on the number 6 connecting rod bolt holes. According engine manufacturer, gauling could occur from high loading such as produced during overspeed or excessive manifold pressure operation. The operator reported the airplane was flown by company pilots on charter flights, and was also a rental airplane.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,800 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 5,740 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,420 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 1997; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Blue Ridge Air
The flight
- Departed from: CHO Charlottesville VA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: SOP Southern Pines NC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from CHO, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N2200J 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.