Piper PA-28R-180 N7681J

Summary

On 3 July 1987 at about 18:35 local time, a Piper PA-28R-180 registered N7681J, operated by Maurice R. Rushlow, was involved in an accident near Benton Harbor, Michigan, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

3 July 1987 at 18:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Benton Harbor, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

42.1107, -86.4399

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-180

Registration

N7681J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Maurice R. Rushlow

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Benton Harbor → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI87DET08

3 people were 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

WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING TO ALTITUDE THE PILOT TRIED TO DECREASE POWER TO CRUISE CLIMB BUT HAD TO REDUCE POWER MORE TO CONTROL THE PROPELLER RPM. THE PILOT DECREASED THE POWER ONCE AGAIN AND SHORTLY AFTER THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A SOCCER FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED AND THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE, THEN TWO TELEPHONE POLES AND FINALLY CAME TO REST AGAINST A PARKED VEHICLE. POST ACC EXAM OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A FAILURE OF THE CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS ON CYLINDERS #3 & 4. NO REASON FOR THE LACK OF PROP CONTROL WAS FOUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.