Piper PA-28-140 N32420

Summary

On 11 August 1995 at about 15:33 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N32420 was involved in an accident near Pulaski, Tennessee, 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

11 August 1995 at 15:33

Classification

Accident

Location

Pulaski, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Abernathy Field (GZS)

Coordinates

35.1891, -87.0307

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N32420

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Atlanta

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA95FA200

2 people died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PERFORM THE BEFORE-TAKEOFF CHECKLIST, AND HIS FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF DUE TO INADEQUATE ACCELERATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS AN INADEQUATE ANNUAL INSPECTION BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL FOR FAILURE TO SAFETY THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL CABLE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE DISCONNECTION OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL CABLE FROM THE CONTROL ARM AND INADVERTENT PARTIAL ACTIVATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT DID NOT PERFORM AN ENGINE RUN-UP BEFORE TAKEOFF. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, ALL THE AVAILABLE RUNWAY WAS NOT USED, AND WITNESSES REPORTED 'SLUGGISH ACCELERATION.' THE AIRPLANE ROTATED ABOUT 500 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND CLIMBED TO ABOUT 75-100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL IN A 'VERY HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK.' THE AIRPLANE THEN ROLLED TO THE RIGHT, COLLIDED WITH TREES, THE ROOF OF A BARN, THE GROUND, AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS PARTIALLY ENGAGED AND THE CONTROL CABLE WAS FOUND DISCONNECTED FROM THE CONTROL ARM AT THE CARBURETOR HEAT AIR BOX ASSEMBLY. THE CASTELLATED NUT WAS NOT SAFETIED. THE ENGINE WAS INSTALLED ABOUT 1 MONTH BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL WAS CALCULATED TO BE ABOUT 1,100 FEET.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.