April 16, 2006, Avondale, Penn. / Piper PA-28-140

The airplane was destroyed during a forced landing following a loss of engine power at 1318 Eastern time. The Private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger, his son, was seriously injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The surviving passenger subsequently stated there were no anomalies noted during the preflight, engine start, run-up or during taxi. The takeoff was normal, and the airplane climbed to about 1500 feet. At that point, without warning, there was a loud metallic-sounding explosion, and oil sprayed onto the windscreen. At the same time, a section of the propeller departed the airplane. The airplane struck trees, burst into flames, and then collided with terrain. It was dest...

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • An airplane was destroyed during a forced landing after a catastrophic engine failure at 1500 feet, which included a "loud metallic-sounding explosion" and a propeller section departing.
  • The private pilot was fatally injured, and his son, the passenger, sustained serious injuries in the incident.
  • After the engine failure, the airplane struck trees, burst into flames, and collided with terrain, resulting in its destruction by impact and post-crash fire.
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The airplane was destroyed during a forced landing following a loss of engine power at 1318 Eastern time. The Private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger, his son, was seriously injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The surviving passenger subsequently stated there were no anomalies noted during the preflight, engine start, run-up or during taxi. The takeoff was normal, and the airplane climbed to about 1500 feet. At that point, without warning, there was a loud metallic-sounding explosion, and oil sprayed onto the windscreen. At the same time, a section of the propeller departed the airplane. The airplane struck trees, burst into flames, and then collided with terrain. It was destroyed by impact and post-crash fire.

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