Piper J5A N35826
23 April 1991 · Newbury, Massachusetts, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 23 April 1991 at about 15:55 local time, a Piper J5A registered N35826, operated by Phillip G. Cummings, was involved in an accident near Newbury, Massachusetts, 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 15:55
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Newbury, Massachusetts, United States
- Nearest airport
- Plum Airport
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper J5A
- Registration
- N35826
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Phillip G. Cummings
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC91FA120
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE LOSS OF INFLIGHT CONTROL, WHICH WAS THE RESULT OF A JAMMED RIGHT AILERON BELLCRANK ASSEMBLY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE; THE IMPROPER MAINTENANCE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM, AND THE INCOMPLETE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
WITNESSES SAID THAT AS SOON AS THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, IT STARTED A STEEPLY BANKED LEFT TURN AND DESCENDED INTO A TREE AND STRUCK THE GROUND. AN EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM REVEALED A BROKEN RIGHT AILERON BRACKET AND A TEAR IN THE SHEET METAL AFT OF THIS BRACKET. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THIS DAMAGE OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS OVERDUE BY ONE MONTH. THE PIPER SERVICE MANUAL AND BULLETINS RECOMMENDED REGULAR INSPECTION OF THIS BELLCRANK ASSEMBLY. TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, A FRIEND OF THE PILOT'S AND A PRIVATE PILOT HIMSELF, SAW THE RIGHT AILERON OF N35826 FLAPPING UP AND DOWN DURING A WIND/RAIN STORM. THE LEFT AILERON WAS STREAMLINED. ED HATT, A RESTORER OF J5A'S, SAID IN HIS REPORT, 'IT IS MY OPINION...THAT THE NUT...'HUNG' ON THE TORN TAILING EDGE...JAMMING THE AILERON BELLCRANK AND CAUSING A LOSS OF AILERON CONTROL.'
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper J5A accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Nov 1992 | Piper J5A | Lumberton, New Jersey, United States | South Jersey Flyers | Fatal | 1 |
| 21 Feb 1994 | Piper J5A-L4F | Kernville, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 May 1994 | Piper J5A | Lake George, Alaska, United States | Wayne Mattingly | No injuries | - |
| 31 Oct 1987 | Piper J5A | Devils Lake, North Dakota, United States | Jackson, Carl F. | No injuries | - |
| 24 Feb 1987 | Piper J5A | Brooksville, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jun 1985 | Piper J5A | Cleveland, Georgia, United States | Tilton L.chester | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Jul 1991 | Piper PA-23-250 | Templeton, Massachusetts, United States | Charles O'donnell | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jul 1991 | Hiller UH-12B | Westfield, Massachusetts, United States | James T. Kilbridge | No injuries | - |
| 28 Jul 1991 | Beechcraft C-23 | Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States | David J. Stoddard | No injuries | - |
| 31 Aug 1991 | Mooney M20J | Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States | Thomas P. Heeney | Serious injuries | - |
| 12 Sep 1991 | Cessna 172M | Norwood, Massachusetts, United States | Executive Flyers Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 28 Sep 1991 | McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | East Boston, Massachusetts, United States | Continental Airlines Inc. | Serious injuries | - |