Piper PA-28R-180 N7503J
17 September 1989 · Gordon, Alabama, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 17 September 1989 at about 20:22 local time, a Piper PA-28R-180 registered N7503J was involved in an accident near Gordon, Alabama, United States. 4 people were on board and 3 died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:22
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Gordon, Alabama, United States
- Coordinates
- 31.1408, -85.0906
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180
- Registration
- N7503J
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Lanett → Marianna
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL89FA214
People
3 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE FUEL GASCOLATOR BOWL BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL LEAKAGE AND A LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE TO THE ENGINE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A SPEED LIMIT SIGN DURING A FORCED LDG ON A HWY. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN INVERTED. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT HAD ADVISED ATC HE WAS EXPERIENCING FUEL PRESSURE PROBLEMS AND HAD A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. POST-CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE GASCOLATOR BOWL WAS LOOSE, EVEN THOUGH THE BAIL-WIRE RETAINING NUT WAS SAFETIED IN THE MAXIMUM-TIGHT POSITION. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE BAIL-WIRE DID NOT CONFORM TO THE SHAPE AND DIMENSIONS SPECIFIED BY PIPER AIRCRAFT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BOWL COULD BE TIGHTENED DOWN ONLY IF THE RETAINING NUT WAS TIGHTENED WITH THE BAIL WIRE IN AN OFF-CENTER POSITION. THE AIRPLANE HAD UNDERGONE AN ANNUAL INSPECTION ABOUT 1 OPERATING HOUR BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED THE INSPECTION REPORTED THAT THE GASCOLATOR WAS REMOVED AND CLEANED DURING THE INSPECTION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-28R accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 May 1989 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Edmond, Oklahoma, United States | James, Rodney C. | No injuries | - |
| 3 Aug 1989 | Piper PA-28R-201 | Mattituck, New York, United States | Fred Bollenbach | No injuries | - |
| 1 Jul 1989 | Piper PA-28R | Port Aransas, Texas, United States | McKinley, Paul | No injuries | - |
| 12 Feb 1989 | Piper PA-28R-201 | Stevens Point, Wisconsin, United States | Plodzien, Thomas J. | No injuries | - |
| 31 Jul 1989 | Piper PA-28R-201T | College Park, Maryland, United States | Archer Assoc. Inc | Fatal | 4 |
| 28 May 1989 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Angel Fire, New Mexico, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
All 1,342 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 May 1989 | Hughes 269A | Ozark, Alabama, United States | Alabama AVI. & Tech. College | No injuries | - |
| 23 Jun 1989 | Cessna 172 | Centreville, Alabama, United States | LEE, Charles D. | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jun 1989 | Cessna R172E | Birmingham, Alabama, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 Jul 1989 | Schweizer SGS 1-26E | Alabaster, Alabama, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 2 Sep 1989 | Piper PA-24-260 | Hanceville, Alabama, United States | Haynes, Ernie H. | Serious injuries | - |
| 17 Sep 1989 | Aeronca 7AC | Semmes, Alabama, United States | - | No injuries | - |