Piper PA-28-140 N54R
18 July 1998 · Napoleon, Michigan, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 18 July 1998 at about 20:07 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N54R was involved in an accident near Napoleon, Michigan, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:07
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Napoleon, Michigan, United States
- Coordinates
- 42.0002, -83.9408
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140
- Registration
- N54R
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI98LA257
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Probable cause
the pilot inadequate pre-flight planning. Factors in this accident were the airplane's weight and balance limitations had been exceeded by the pilot and an improper top overhaul of the engine's cylinder by the mechanic.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot said the airplane used about 2/3 of the 2,550-foot runway before rotating for liftoff. He said the airplane felt '...sluggish...' as it passed over the departure runway's threshold. During the initial climb out the airplane's left wing struck an antenna that was attached to a building. The airplane descended below power lines and collided with a fence and road sign before striking the ground. The on-scene investigation revealed the airplane was 100-pounds over its maximum gross takeoff weight. The engine had received a top overhaul 2 days before the accident. The engine examination revealed low compression on the number 3 cylinder. Further examination of this cylinder showed its exhaust and intake valve heads were below the manufacturer's minimum diameter. The valve heads and seats were not ground to the manufacturer's specification and the valve stem diameter was below the manufacturer's size.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-28 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 1998 | Piper PA-28-140 | Bad Axe, Michigan, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 29 Aug 1998 | Piper PA-28-235 | Mineola, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Nov 1998 | Piper PA-28-180 | Iowa Falls, Iowa, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jul 1998 | Piper PA-28-161 | Whitefield, New Hampshire, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 18 Jun 1998 | Piper PA-28-180 | Holly Springs, Mississippi, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Nov 1998 | Piper PA-28-161 | Melfa, Virginia, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
All 9,402 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 May 1998 | Dassault DA-20 | Monroe, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Nov 1998 | Cessna 337C | New Hudson, Michigan, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 Nov 1998 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Hancock, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Oct 1998 | Piper PA-44-180 | Howell, Michigan, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 9 Oct 1998 | Cessna 182N | Genesee, Michigan, United States | Charles Taylor | No injuries | - |
| 30 May 1998 | Luscombe 8E | Montague, Michigan, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |