Piper PA-32R-301T N8340Y
10 December 1993 · Covington, Georgia, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 10 December 1993 at about 23:40 local time, a Piper PA-32R-301T registered N8340Y, operated by Edwards, Thomas E., was involved in an accident near Covington, Georgia, 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 23:40
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Covington, Georgia, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301T
- Registration
- N8340Y
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Edwards, Thomas E.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Vero Beach → Atlanta
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- ATL94FA029
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
SPATIAL DISORIENTATION EXPERIENCED BY THE PILOT, RESULTING IN HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS WERE THE TOTAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE DRIVEN VACUUM PUMP, AND THE NIGHT, CLOUD CONDITIONS PREVAILING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO HIS HOME BASE ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. NIGHT, IMC PREVAILED. SEVERAL MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, HE INFORMED ATC THAT HIS INSTRUMENT GYRO HAD FAILED. HE LATER REPORTED THAT HIS INSTRUMENTS WERE WORKING; HOWEVER, THERE WAS A 'LIGHT ON'. HE THEN REPORTED THAT HE WAS 'IN TROUBLE'. ATC OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT IN A RAPID DESCENT PRIOR TO A LOSS OF RADAR CONTACT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED WOODED TERRAIN IN A STEEP, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE VACUUM SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE DRIVEN VACUUM PUMP HAD FAILED DUE TO OIL INGESTION. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT AN ENGINE OIL LEAK WAS REPAIRED IN JUNE 1993, AND THE ORIGIN OF THE LEAK WAS THE ENGINE ACCESSORY DRIVE SEAL, WHERE THE VACUUM PUMP ATTACHES TO THE ENGINE. THE FAILED PUMP WAS INSTALLED AS NEW ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THE OIL LEAK REPAIR. THE PUMP THAT WAS REMOVED IN JUNE 1993, ALSO FAILED DUE TO OIL INGESTION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-32R accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Aug 1993 | Piper PA-32R-300 | Atigun Pass, Alaska, United States | Yutana Airlines | Fatal | 1 |
| 13 Nov 1993 | Piper PA-32R-300 | Mulege, Mexico | Madsen, Edward C. | Serious injuries | - |
| 16 Oct 1993 | Piper PA-32R-300 | Atkinson, Nebraska, United States | First Nat'l Bank of Valentine | Fatal | 5 |
| 10 Dec 1993 | Piper PA-32R-300 | Antigo, Wisconsin, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 12 Apr 1993 | Piper PA-32R-301 | Lapeer, New York, United States | E.g. and H. Inc. | Fatal | 3 |
| 5 Sep 1993 | Piper PA-32R-300 | Laurinburg, North Carolina, United States | Terry Robert Moon | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Dec 1993 | Piper PA-32-300 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 7 Mar 1993 | Cessna 172G | Jackson, Georgia, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 19 Feb 1993 | Robinson R22B | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | Prestige Helicopters, Inc. | Fatal | 4 |
| 31 Mar 1993 | Piper PA-38-112 | Kennesaw, Georgia, United States | Tomahawk Flyers Inc., | Fatal | 2 |
| 28 Apr 1993 | American AA-1A | Statesboro, Georgia, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 10 Jun 1993 | Cessna TP206 | Epworth, Georgia, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |