Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-28R-200 N2654T

4 March 1997 · Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 4 March 1997 at about 18:40 local time, a Piper PA-28R-200 registered N2654T was involved in an accident near Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 18:40
Classification
Accident
Location
Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States
Coordinates
29.7898, -90.8195
Aircraft
Piper PA-28R-200
Registration
N2654T
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Unknown → Prairieville
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
FTW97LA113

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

The failure of maintenance personnel to comply with an airworthiness directive which specified the correct type of oil quick drain valve for this airplane, the installation of an incorrect oil quick drain valve by maintenance personnel, and the subsequent activation of the valve during landing gear retraction which resulted in a total loss of engine oil and engine failure. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

On the airplane's first flight following the installation of an overhauled engine, the engine lost power about 5 minutes after takeoff, and the pilot executed a wheels-up forced landing on a road. During the landing roll, the airplane's left wing struck a barrel. Examination revealed that when the landing gear was retracted the nose gear torque links had contacted the engine oil quick drain valve activating the valve, which resulted in the loss of all engine oil and engine seizure. Airworthiness directive (AD) 81-11-02 R1, effective October 2, 1981, applied to this airplane and required that if an oil quick drain valve was installed it must be a Piper Part No. 492-172V. The oil quick drain valve installed was found to be a Curtis model CCA-1700.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-28R accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
18 Jan 1997 Piper PA-28R-200
N57010
Thorndale, Pennsylvania, United States - No injuries -
27 Jul 1997 Piper PA-28R-200
N5027T
Auburn, Indiana, United States - No injuries -
11 May 1997 Piper PA-28R-200
N56639
Pottstown, Pennsylvania, United States Fare Share Ltd Fatal -
15 Mar 1997 Piper PA-28R-200
N6219J
Westminster, Texas, United States
no coordinates
Monarch Air Fatal 2
6 Jan 1997 Piper PA-28R
N3347Q
Fort Smith, Montana, United States Jeffrey M. Pfau Fatal 2
3 Jul 1997 Piper PA-28R-180
N3896T
Penobscot, Maine, United States
no coordinates
BOB Hart Fatal 4

All 1,342 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
11 Jun 1997 Air Tractor AT-400A
N36538
Church Point, Louisiana, United States - No injuries -
3 Jul 1997 Bell 206B
N49661
New Iberia, Louisiana, United States American Aviation, Inc. Serious injuries -
17 Jul 1997 Bell 206L-1
N3892R
Amelia, Louisiana, United States - No injuries -
14 Mar 1997 MBB BO-105S
N7161J
Lena, Louisiana, United States Petroleum Helicopters, Inc Fatal 1
8 May 1997 Cessna 172RG
N6505V
Intracoastal, Louisiana, United States - Fatal 1
1 Jun 1997 Bell 206B
N115AL
Intracoastl Cty, Louisiana, United States - Fatal 1

All 170,864 records in United States