Piper PA-24-250 accident near Lopez, Washington, July 17, 2011
On July 17, 2011 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5532P, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Lopez, Washington (Windsock Airport). 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 partial loss of engine power due to a cracked engine case near the rear cylinder.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2011 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Lopez, Washington · Windsock Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5532P · registry record · serial 24-596
- 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, he heard a loud bang and felt a vibration. The cockpit filled with smoke, and oil covered the windshield, both of which compromised the pilot's view. He opened a side vent window and regained visibility. The pilot chose to land on a nearby landing strip. During the landing roll, the pilot realized that the strip was short and wet, so he intentionally placed the airplane in a "ground slide." Before the airplane came to a stop, its left wing struck a fence post, which caused structural damage to the airplane. The pilot reported that, during his postaccident examination of the airplane, he observed a crack in the engine case near the rear cylinder on the engine's left side. No further examination was accomplished.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Damaged/degraded
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,016 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 16, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 2010; 35 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 3,991 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WA09 Roche Harbor WA at 1:15 am
- Destination: WN53 Lake Stevens WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 1,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,600 ft; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 1:36 am from FHR, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.