Piper PA-28RT-201T N3025W

Summary

On 28 August 1987 at about 16:21 local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T registered N3025W was involved in an accident near Kings Point, New York, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

28 August 1987 at 16:21

Classification

Accident

Location

Kings Point, New York, United States

Coordinates

40.8200, -73.7402

Aircraft

Piper PA-28RT-201T

Registration

N3025W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Teterboro → Quebec

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC87FA240

1 person died.

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

N3025W DEPARTED ON A FERRY FLIGHT WITH AN UNSECURED, TEMPORARILY INSTALLED FUSELAGE FUEL TANK. A COMPUTED C.G. AT TAKEOFF SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT ABOUT .9 INCHES AFT OF THE AFT LIMIT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD CLIMBED TO 7000 FEET WHEN THE CONTROLLER SAW THE AIRCRAFT MAKING ERRATIC TURNS. THE PILOT SAID 'WE HAVE PROBLEMS.' THERE WERE NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WITH N3025W. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY BROKE-UP IN FLIGHT. THE FORECAST THE PILOT RECEIVED INCLUDED MODERATE TURBULENCE AND RAINSHOWERS. THE FERRY TANK INSTALLATION HAD NOT BEEN APPROVED. THE PILOT WAS NEW TO THIS TYPE OF WORK AND REPORTEDLY DID NOT KNOW HOW TO WORK THE FERRY TANK SYSTEM. THE TAKEOFF POSITION OF THE FERRY TANK WAS ESTIMATED. IT HAD BEEN PUSHING OUT THE FUSELAGE BAGGAGE DOOR AND HAD TO BE PUSHED BACK IN AFTER BEING FILLED. IT WAS CONSIDERED LIKELY THAT THE UNSECURED TANK WOULD HAVE MIGRATED, CHANGING THE C.G. IN FLIGHT, ALTERING LONGITUDINAL CONTROL FORCES, AND CAUSING PITCH CONTROL PROBLEMS IN TURBULENCE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.