Piper PA-32RT-300T N36272

Summary

On 13 July 1991 at about 00:02 local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T registered N36272 was involved in an accident near Yarmouth, Massachusetts, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 July 1991 at 00:02

Classification

Accident

Location

Yarmouth, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Barnstable Muni (HYA)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-32RT-300T

Registration

N36272

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marthas Vineyar → Hyannis

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

NYC91FA178

2 people died.

THE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER FUEL INJECTOR LINE DUE TO FATIGUE CRACKING INDUCED BY CORROSION AND PROPAGATED BY CYCLIC LOADING WHICH RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE CORROSION WAS DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER'S PROCESS OF BRAZING THE METAL JOINT, AND THE CYCLIC LOADING WAS DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF A CLAMP TO MINIMIZE THE EFFECT OF VIBRATION. A CONTIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER RECEIVING CLEARANCE TO LAND, THE PILOT CALLED THAT HE WAS IN TROUBLE AND WAS GOING DOWN. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE AT A LOW ALTITUDE, AND HEARD THE ENGINE SPUTTERING AND THEN QUIT. THE LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE; THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND AND WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE POST CRASH FIRE. ENGINE TEARDOWN REVEALED THAT THE CYLINDER #1 FUEL INJECTOR LINE HAD FAILED AT THE OUTER DIAMETER (OD) SURFACE AT THE MANIFOLD END NEAR THE B-NUT FITTING. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION INDICATED THAT THE SEPARATION WAS DUE TO FATIGUE CRACKING THAT ORIGINATED AT THE OD SURFACE OF THE TUBE AT THE EDGE WITH THE BRAZED FILLER METAL. INTERGRANULAR CORROSION WAS OBSERVED AT THE FRACTURE ORIGIN WHICH OCCURRED DURING MANUFACTURE, WHEN THE LINE WAS SENSITIZED NEAR THE BRAZING JOINT. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF CLAMPING OF THE TUBE AT MIDPOINT PER THE ENGINEERING DRAWING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.