Piper PA-23-250 N7156T

Summary

On 30 August 1995 at about 12:53 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N7156T was involved in an accident near Marana, Arizona, United States. 3 people were 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.

Date

30 August 1995 at 12:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Marana, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Avra Valley (E14)

Coordinates

32.4492, -111.2896

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-250

Registration

N7156T

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

LAX95LA314

1 person died.

the pilot's poor installation of the propeller which allowed the propeller to become loose, and the pilot's improper emergency procedure by feathering the wrong propeller.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS BEGINNING A FLIGHT TO TRANSPORT MARIJUANA IN DUFFLE BAGS. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE RIGHT PROPELLER BEGAN TO SEPARATE FROM ITS MOUNTING FLANGE. THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRPLANE TOWARD THE AIRPORT, FEATHERED THE WRONG PROPELLER AND BEGAN TO THROW OUT THE DUFFLE BAGS. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE, WIRES, AND A PRIVATELY OWNED RESIDENCE. TWO PERSONS IN THE RESIDENCE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE POST ACCIDENT WRECKAGE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER MOUNTING STUDS SAFETY WIRE WAS BROKEN AND THREE OF THE SIX PROPELLER MOUNTING STUDS WERE BROKEN. THE REMAINING MOUNTING STUDS HAD BACKED OFF. THE RIGHT ENGINE OIL SYSTEM CONTAINED EXTENSIVE METAL PARTICLES AND THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR OIL SCREEN WAS ALTERED TO ALLOW UNFILTERED OIL FLOW.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.