Piper PA-28 accident near Scottsdale, Arizona, January 18, 2022
On January 18, 2022 at about 5:56 am local time, a 1962 Piper PA-28, registered N5276W, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Scottsdale, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to oil exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 2022 · about 5:56 am local time
- Place
- Scottsdale, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28, built 1962 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N5276W · registry record · serial 28-323
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a night cross-country flight when he noticed the engine oil pressure gauge indicating lower that it had been earlier in the flight. Although the engine was running fine, he started to look at the possibilities of gliding to an airport if needed. The pilot decided that he was not in an emergency situation; however, he altered his intended flight path to avoid a mountainous area and remain over a highway. After passing the highway and nearing an airport, the oil pressure dropped to near zero and the pilot started to make plans for an emergency landing. He attempted to turn the lights on at a nearby airport but was unsuccessful. The pilot decided to continue to another airport, which was about 22 nautical miles from his position. About halfway to the next airport, the engine noise started to change, followed by a reduction of engine power. He said the engine oil pressure gauge indicated zero and he subsequently added full power while looking for a place to land. Soon afterwards, the engine made “horrible noises” and lost all power. The pilot landed the airplane on a narrow graveled road between a chain link fence and a water canal. During the landing sequence, the right wing struck the fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing, both ailerons, the left horizontal stabilizer, and the left elevator. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 3 piston oil control ring was stuck in its ring land resulting in an excessive blow-by condition. The blow-by condition caused the engine crankcase to pressurize and vent oil from the crankshaft oil seal, crankcase breather system, and the No. 3 combustion chamber until the sump was depleted of oil. This oil depletion resulted in the thermal distress and material deformation of the No. 2 connecting rod bearing and crankshaft journal and the subsequent separation of the No. 2 connecting rod.
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 (total) during enroute defining event
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Damaged/degraded
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Malfunction
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 264.1 hours in all; 250.2 in this make and model; 95.6 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 198.4 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 23, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,826 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 14, 2021; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Third Step 2 LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HND Henderson NV at 4:30 am
- Destination: CHD Chandler AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from KFFZ, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KFFZ 180554Z AUTO 02004KT 10SM BKN070 OVC085 12/00 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP155 T01220000 10200 20117 53003 TSNO $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on January 31, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation-lycoming | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation-piper Aircraft | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Lycoming Service Letter SI-1324C Crankshaft Oil Seals | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | NTSB Wreckage Examination Summary | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Maintenance Documents-last Inspection | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.