Piper PA-60-602P N6894Y
21 December 1989 · Frenchtown, New Jersey, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 21 December 1989 at about 15:35 local time, a Piper PA-60-602P registered N6894Y, operated by Walter V. Wicker, JR, was involved in an accident near Frenchtown, New Jersey, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:35
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Frenchtown, New Jersey, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-602P
- Registration
- N6894Y
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Walter V. Wicker, JR
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Teterboro → Reading
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC90FA040
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF THE TURBOCHARGER TAILPIPE EXHAUST STACK ON THE RIGHT ENGINE BY THE MECHANIC(S). THE FAILURE OF THE TAILPIPE PERMITTED HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST TO WEAKEN THE MAIN SPAR OF THE RIGHT WING RESULTING IN A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
ON JANUARY 16, 1989, MACHEN NACELLE MOUNTED INDUCTION AIR INTERCOOLERS WERE INSTALLED ON N6894Y. ON DECEMBER 14, 1989, AN ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED, AND A MACHEN SUPERSTAR I-680 KIT WAS INSTALLED. ON DECEMBER 21, 1989, N6894Y WAS AT 6000 FEET WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED A PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE PILOT REPORTED A FIRE IN THE RIGHT ENGINE. A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER, HE RADIOED HE COULD NOT SHUT DOWN THE RIGHT ENGINE. AT 1034:37 THE PILOT ADVISED HIS 'RIGHT ENGINE JUST TORE OFF' AND THAT HE WAS 'IN A SPIN HEADING DOWN.' THE EXHAUST TAILPIPE OF THE LEFT TURBOCHARGER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS FOUND TO HAVE SEPARATED. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE TAILPIPE FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE CRACKING. RECORDS SHOWED THAT PART I OF PIPER SERVICE BULLETIN 920 (ENGINE TAILPIPE INSPECTION) HAD BEEN COMPLETED, WHILE PART II (ADDITION OF FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM) HAD NOT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED DUE TO THE LACK OF AVAILABLE KITS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-60 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Mar 1989 | Piper PA-60-601P | Lakeview, Oregon, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 21 Jun 1989 | Piper PA-60-601P | Lithia Springs, Georgia, United States | Aero Star Transport Corp | Fatal | 3 |
| 31 Mar 1989 | Piper PA-60-601P | Newport Beach, California, United States | Anthony Deis | Fatal | 5 |
| 23 Jun 1989 | Piper PA-60-700P | Griffith, Indiana, United States | CAS, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 25 Aug 1988 | Piper PA-60 | Pembroke Pines, Florida, United States | Phillips, Lewis | Fatal | 3 |
| 14 Sep 1988 | Piper PA-60-602P | Hopkinsville, Kentucky, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jul 1989 | Piper PA-18A | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Paramount Air Service | Minor injuries | - |
| 24 Jul 1989 | Cessna 170B | Bricktown, New Jersey, United States | Frank E. Brice | No injuries | - |
| 7 Aug 1989 | Piper PA-28-161 | Hammonton, New Jersey, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Sep 1989 | Cessna 150M | Colts Neck, New Jersey, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Sep 1989 | Piper PA-22 | Montague, New Jersey, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 10 Oct 1989 | Agusta A109A MKII | Lacey Township, New Jersey, United States | Paramount Aviation | Fatal | 5 |