Piper PA-28-180 accident near Richland, Washington, March 6, 2000
On March 6, 2000 at about 11:17 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N8170W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Richland, Washington. 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
Failure of a connecting rod for undetermined reasons. Factors include unsuitable terrain for the forced landing attempt.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2000 · about 11:17 pm local time
- Place
- Richland, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8170W · no longer on the register · serial 28-2289
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported experiencing an engine problem, and attempted to perform a forced landing on a highway. During the landing roll, the airplane rolled into a gully, substantially damaging a wing. Preliminary inspection by FAA inspectors revealed that number 3 and number 4 cylinders could not be removed due to barrel damage. Number 4 piston did not move when the crankshaft was rotated, and extensive metal particles were evident within the crankcase. The connecting rod was determined to have failed
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,950 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSC Pasco WA at 11:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KPS
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.