Piper PA-31-350 N70PE
15 September 1989 · Ontario, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 15 September 1989 at about 13:52 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N70PE, operated by Ameriflight, was involved in an accident near Ontario, California, 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 13:52
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Ontario, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Ontario Int'l (ONT)
- Coordinates
- 34.0701, -117.6194
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350
- Registration
- N70PE
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Ameriflight
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Ontario → Santa Barbara
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX89FA314
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
FAILURE OF THE RIGHT PROPELLER HUB DUE TO METAL FATIGUE WHICH RESULTED IN CATASTROPHIC SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS DAMAGE DONE TO THE AIRCRAFT AIRFRAME IN FLIGHT BY THE SEPARATING PROPELLER MAKING THE AIRCRAFT UNCONTROLLABLE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PROPELLER SEPARATED FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE PROPELLER HUB FRACTURE RESULTED IN ONE OF THE THREE PROPELLER BLADES DETACHING FROM THE HUB. THE REST OF THE PROPELLER HUB THEN SEPARATED STRIKING THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE FUSELAGE. OIL WAS SPREAD ACROSS THE AIRCRAFT NOSE AND WINDSHEILD. THE FUSELAGE RIGHT SIDE DAMAGE INCREASED AERODYNAMIC DRAG. WITNESSES REPORTED THE ENGINE COWLING WAS TORN. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A RIGHT TURN AND DIVE. IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NEAR INVERTED ATTITUDE. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED PROP HUB REVEALED METAL FATIGUE EMANATING FROM THE THREADED HOLE FOR THE GREASE FITTING. THE THREADS HAD BEEN DEFORMED BY SHOT PEENING, RESULTING IN INCREASED STRESS CONCENTRATIONS AT THE THREADS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 May 1989 | Piper PA-31 | Tok Junction, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Aug 1989 | Piper PA-31-350 | Lynchburg, Virginia, United States | - | Fatal | 5 |
| 1 Feb 1989 | Piper PA-31 | Sparks, Nevada, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 15 Dec 1989 | Piper PA-31-350 | Cairo Township, New York, United States | Aero-Venture Inc. | Fatal | 6 |
| 14 Feb 1989 | Piper PA-31-350 | Pacific Ocean | Southern Cross Aviation | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Jan 1989 | Piper PA-31 | Springfield, Ohio, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Sep 1989 | Piper PA-25-235 | Warner Springs, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Sep 1989 | Cessna 310K | Ojai, California, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 30 Sep 1989 | Cessna 182 | Eureka, California, United States | Nothern Air | No injuries | - |
| 30 Sep 1989 | Cessna 152 | Lancaster, California, United States | West Coast Air Center | Fatal | 2 |
| 29 Sep 1989 | Bellanca 17-30A | Palo Alto, California, United States | Klouda, Linda K. | Minor injuries | - |
| 10 Jul 1989 | Luscombe 8A | Napa, California, United States | Richard A. Bryson | Fatal | 1 |