Piper PA-28-181 N47759

Summary

On 5 November 1989 at about 19:19 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N47759 was involved in an accident near Laurel, Maryland, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 November 1989 at 19:19

Classification

Accident

Location

Laurel, Maryland, United States

Coordinates

39.0892, -76.8508

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N47759

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Roanoke

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO90FA008

Nobody was injured.

LOST OF ENGINE POWER CAUSED BY MATERIAL FAILURE OF THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE. THE FAILURE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT LEVELED AT 1500 FT MSL WHERE THE PLT SET POWER AT 2450 RPM. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, SHORTLY AFTERWARD A PARTIAL POWER LOSS OCCURRED. THE PLT UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO REGAIN POWER. HE TURNED BACK TO THE DEPARTURE ARPT AND HE DID A GO-AROUND WHEN THE FIRST APCH WAS TOO HIGH. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, AS HE CIRCLED TO LAND MORE POWER LOSS OCCURRED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT. THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY, STRIKING A GUY WIRE DURING THE APCH. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NUMBER THREE CYL EXHAUST VALVE HEAD SEPARATED. FRAGMENTS OF THE VALVE HEAD WERE FOUND INSIDE THE NUMBER TWO CYL. METALLURGICAL EXAM OF THE VALVE HEAD REVEALED IT WAS EXPOSED TO ABOVE NORMAL TEMP AND THE FRACTURE WAS CONSISTENT WITH OVERSTRESS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.