Piper PA-28R-180 N3981T

Summary

On 11 October 1997 at about 14:40 local time, a Piper PA-28R-180 registered N3981T was involved in an accident near Morganville, New Jersey, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 October 1997 at 14:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Morganville, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Marlboro (2N8)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-180

Registration

N3981T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marlboro → Lebanon

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC98FA009

4 people died.

The inadequate maintenance by the flying club and maintenance facility, which resulted in a takeoff with a partially blocked fuel injector nozzle and the failure of the landing gear to retract after takeoff. This resulted in the pilot's diverted attention and the subsequent stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot took off in the vicinity of the airplane's maximum gross weight and cleared 50 foot high trees 75 feet beyond the end of the runway. The airplane completed a right 180 degree turn, descended, and collided with trees with the retractable landing gear still extended. Maintenance records revealed that the number 4 cylinder had been removed due to low compression 295 hours before the accident to replace an exhaust valve, and again 76 hours before the accident due to low compression to reface the valves. Examination of the engine revealed the number 4 cylinder fuel injector nozzle was partially obstructed. An annual inspection was performed on the airplane between the two removals of the number 4 cylinder, by the maintenance facility performing the engine maintenance. The landing gear had been written up by pilots on five occasions in the 3 months prior to the accident, for not retracting after takeoff, and the airplane continued to be flown with the write-ups. The last write-up occurred 7 days prior to the accident and remained open. Maintenance was performed on the landing gear system after the last write-up and not documented in the airplane's logbooks.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.