Piper PA-31-350 N40978
2 March 1989 · Toms River, New Jersey, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 2 March 1989 at about 00:51 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N40978, operated by Falcon Flight Center, was involved in an accident near Toms River, New Jersey, United States. One person was 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.
The record
- Date
- at 00:51
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Toms River, New Jersey, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350
- Registration
- N40978
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Falcon Flight Center
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Hartford → Atlantic City
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- NYC89FA093
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND HIS EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AUTOPLT MALFUNCTION DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PREFLIGHT THE AUTOPILOT BEFORE USING IT IN FLIGHT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE ACFT WAS CRUISING AT 8500 FT WHEN IT EXPERIENCED AN INFLT LOSS OF CONTROL. THE PLT SAID THE AUTOPILOT PITCH TRIM RAN AWAY NOSE DOWN & HE WAS UNABLE TO DISCONNECT THE AUTOPILOT PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF CONTROL. EXAM OF THE ACFT SHOWED THE LEFT ELEVATOR HORN WAS BENT DOWN & THE RIGHT ELEVATOR HORN WAS BROKEN OFF. THE AUTOPILOT WAS EXAMINED & ALL DISCONNECTS EXCEPT FOR THE ACCELEROMETER TEST FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE PITCH TRIM BOARD WAS FOUND IMPROPERLY INSTALLED IN THE AUTO PILOT & DID NOT MAKE CONNECTION. WITH THE ALTITUDE HOLD ENGAGED, THE AUTOPILOT WOULD HOLD THE ELEVATOR POSITION AT TIME OF ENGAGEMENT & TRIM TO KEEP THE FORCES NEUTRAL. IF THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED, IT WOULD LOSE ALTITUDE & TRIM NOSE UP. RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ACFT STARTED TO SLOW, THEN DESCENDED FROM 8500 TO 8300 FT, THEN CLIMBED TO 8900 FT. THE ACFT THEN CAME DOWN VERY RAPIDLY TO 1700 FT PRIOR TO A RECOVERY. RPRTDLY, THE PLT DID NOT TEST THE AUTOPLT BEFORE TAKEOFF. .
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Sep 1989 | Piper PA-31-350 | Ontario, California, United States | Ameriflight | Fatal | 1 |
| 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 | - |
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 |