Piper PA32R300 N1654H

Summary

On 30 July 1984 at about 03:10 local time, a Piper PA32R300 registered N1654H was involved in an accident near Des Moines, Iowa, United States. 4 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

30 July 1984 at 03:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA32R300

Registration

N1654H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Des Moines → Council Bluffs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MKC84FA235

1 person was seriously 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 ACFT ENG BEGAN TO 'SHUDDER BADLY' UPON REACHING A CRUISE ALT OF 3500 FT MSL SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PLT MADE A 180 DEG COURSE REVERSAL TO RETURN TO THE ARPT BUT REPORTED TO ATC HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUTSIDE THE ACFT BECAUSE OIL WAS SMEARED ON THE ACFT. THE ENG LOST TOTAL PWR AFTER THE PLT COMPLETED THE TURN. THE PLT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING ON A FARM DURING WHICH THE LANDING GEAR SEPARATED UPON CONTACTING THE LIP OF A FENCEROW. THE ACFT THEN TRAVELED THRU A BARBED WIRE FENCE WHERE THE WINGS WERE DAMAGED BY FENCE POSTS. METALLURGICAL EXAM OF FAILED ENG COMPONENTS REVEALED 2 CONNECTING RODS FAILED FROM HIGH STRESS FATIGUE. THREE CAM FOLLOWERS SHOWED THE HEADS WERE SEVERLY WORN AND SUFFERED HEAVY SPALLING DAMAGE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.