Piper PA-28-180 N7272W

Summary

On 7 August 1983 at about 17:10 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N7272W was involved in an accident near Normantown, West Virginia, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

7 August 1983 at 17:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Normantown, West Virginia, United States

Coordinates

38.8897, -80.9506

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N7272W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Woodbridge → Frankfort

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL83LA314

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT NOTICED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT, & SOON THEREAFTER OBSERVED THE OIL PRESS GAGE READING ZERO. THE PLT WAS GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH IT. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & A POWERLINE DURING THE FORCED LANDING. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT AN OIL COOLER LINE HAD RUPTURED ALLOWING THE ENG OIL SUPPLY TO BE PUMPED OVERBOARD. THE LINE WAS FOUND TO BE IN A VERY BRITTLE CONDITION. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF CHAFING. THE LAST ANNUAL WAS 7/11/83. THE RUPTURED LINE HAD 794 HRS TIME IN SERVICE & HAD BEEN INSTALLED FOR ALMOST 7 YRS. THE ACFT MFGR RECOMMENDS THAT THE LINES BE REPLACED EVERY 1,000 HRS. HOWEVER, THE MFGR OF THE LINES GIVE THEM A 5-YR SHELF LIFE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.