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CHI91LA121

1991-04-05 · SCHAUMBURG, Illinois, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 06C

Current FAA registration · N2366W

Make / Model
PIPER PA-28-161
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19850513
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A22209

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE MECHANIC'S NOT UNDERSTANDING THE IDENTIFYING MARKS ON THE REPLACEMENT PART. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THAT THE MECHANIC WAS PROVIDED WITH AN IMPROPER PART.

Factual narrative

THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE SEIZED AT 70 FEET ON TAKEOFF CLIMB, AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING. THE ENGINE HAD RECENTLY UNDERGONE REPLACEMENT OF THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER; NO OTHER PARTS WERE CHANGED. PAINT MARKS ON THE REPLACEMENT CYLINDER INDICATED IT HAD BEEN CHROME PLATED TO STANDARD BORE. THE 3 REMAINING CYLINDERS AND ALL PISTONS WERE MARKED 0.010 OVERSIZE. THE OPERATOR'S DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE OBTAINED THE REPLACEMENT PART AND PROVIDED IT TO THE MECHANIC. THE OPERATOR'S MECHANIC STATED HE WAS UNAWARE WHAT THE CYLINDERS' COLOR MARKS SIGNIFIED AND HAD NOT MEASURED MATCHING PARTS DURING REPLACEMENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_CHI91LA121.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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