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NYC93LA023

1992-10-17 · PETERSHAM, Massachusetts, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE IMPRPOER MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES WHICH RESULTED IN ENGINE FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.

Factual narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT AND THE INSTRUCTOR WERE CONDUCTING A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID, '[THE] ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND TO THROTTLE APPLICATION AFTER PROLONGED POWER OFF.' THE PILOT SAID THAT HE USED CARBURETOR HEAT PRIOR TO AND DURING THE DESCENT. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE CLEARED THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES. THE INSTRUCTOR PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. THERE WAS A LARGE STREAK OF OIL FROM THE ENGINE TO THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE #3 CYLINDER OIL DRAIN LINE WAS DISCONNECTED. FAA INSPECTORS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 2 QUARTS OF OIL IN THE ENGINE CRANKCASE. THE #3 CYLINDER HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT THE RINGS ON THIS CYLINDER WERE CHROME, AND THE CYLINDER WAS CHROME. THIS WAS AGAINST THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER. THE #3 CYLINDER WALLS WERE SCORCHED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_NYC93LA023.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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