MEADVILLE, PA, USA
N3827N
MOONEY M20F
THE AIRPLANE WAS CRUISING AT NIGHT AT 8000 FEET. THE PILOT SAID '[THERE WAS A] SUDDEN VIOLENT VIBRATION...[I] CHANGED MIXTURE, GAS TANKS, ADJUSTED PROP SETTING...NO CHANGES. PULLED POWER BACK TO REDUCE VIBRATION.' THE PILOT WAS VECTORED TOWARDS THE NEAREST AIRPORT. HE WAS ABLE TO LOCATE THE RUNWAY, BUT BECAUSE OF FOG AND LACK OF ADEQUATE VISIBILITY, HE WAS UNABLE TO DISSIPATE THE EXCESS ALTITUDE AND OVERSHOT THE RUNWAY. THE EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE FAILED BECAUSE OF FATIGUE.
ENGINE FAILURE RESULTING FROM THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE AND THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING AT NIGHT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RESTRICTED VISIBILITY.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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