Raytheon Aircraft Company A36 accident near Lopez Island, Washington, April 16, 2009
On April 16, 2009 at about 2:45 am local time, a Raytheon Aircraft Company A36, registered N464TJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Lopez Island, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power during cruise flight due to oil starvation. The oil starvation event was due to the failure of maintenance personnel to tighten the aft mounting nuts for the newly installed propeller governor and the pilot’s failure to secure the oil filler cap during the preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 2009 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Lopez Island, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raytheon Aircraft Company A36
- Registration
- N464TJ · no longer on the register · serial E-3052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during cruise flight, the propeller rpm continued increasing despite his numerous attempts to reduce the propeller rpm. As the pilot reduced power, he heard a loud bang followed by a "significant trail of white smoke pouring over the wind screen" and a loss of engine power. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a nearby road that appeared to have no vehicle traffic. The pilot stated that he extended his approach to landing due to a vehicle turning onto the road. During the landing roll, the left wing struck a street sign and subsequently struck "two or three large wooden fence posts that were hidden in the bramble of blackberry bushes” that resulted in structural damage to the empennage and the left and right wings. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the oil filler cap was unsecured to the oil filler neck. Oil residue was observed along the left side of the airframe and engine cowling. Further examination of the engine revealed that the two aft nuts securing the propeller governor to the crankcase mounting pad were loose. Oil residue was observed within the surrounding area of the propeller governor. About 1 quart of oil was observed within the oil sump. Review of maintenance logbooks revealed that the engine was recently disassembled and inspected due to a propeller strike. Following the propeller strike inspection, the propeller governor was reinstalled. The pilot reported that the accident flight was the first flight following the propeller strike inspection and that he verified the oil level was adequate during his preflight inspection.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Not specified
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › Propeller governor › Incorrect service/maintenance
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,048 hours in all; 847 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,048 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,237.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 2009; 0.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,620 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAE Everett WA at 2:15 am
- Destination: FHR Friday Harbor WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from FHR, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.