NORTH AMERICAN T-28A

Full Narrative

On May 27, 2010, about 2010 central daylight time, a North American T-28A airplane, N128AF, was substantially damaged following a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing at Sundance Airpark (HSD), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The commercial pilot and the certified flight instructor were not injured. The local, personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

The pilots stated they were flying in the traffic pattern when the engine started losing power. They were unable to make the runway and landed short of the prepared surface. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the main landing gear had punctured both wings, damaging the spars, and two engine mounts had pulled loose from the firewall. Fuel was found in both wings and the fuel selector was in the BOTH position. Metal material was found in the outer casing of the oil filter. According to one of the airplane’s owners, the engine was later disassembled for salvage and the master rod bearing was found failed and several of the cylinders had seized.

According to maintenance records, the engine’s last major overhaul occurred on August 15, 1989. The last annual inspection occurred on December 5, 2009, at 77.7 hours time since major overhaul. According to the operator of the airplane, it had accumulated 99.9 hours time since major overhaul at the time of the accident.