Piper PA-31-310 N57AS
15 April 1999 · La Verne, California, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 15 April 1999 at about 22:30 local time, a Piper PA-31-310 registered N57AS was involved in an accident near La Verne, California, 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 22:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- La Verne, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 34.1493, -117.7610
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-310
- Registration
- N57AS
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX99LA181
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The in-flight separation of the right engine cowling due to the operator's inadequate maintenance quality control procedures and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The aircraft had been in maintenance for an adjustment to the right engine manifold pressure differential controller. The procedure required the uncowling of the engine. A certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic removed the cowling and made the required adjustments, then left for the day. A noncertificated mechanic replaced the cowling and the pilot then proceeded to perform the postmaintenance test flight. During climbout, the right engine upper cowling separated and wrapped around the right horizontal stabilizer. The pilot experienced difficulty in controlling the aircraft until the airspeed was reduced, then he returned to the airport and landed. Inspection of the cowling disclosed that the inboard latches on the upper cowling were not damaged. In his written statement, the pilot notes that his failure to detect the unlatched inboard cowling fasteners resulted from 'poor preflight inspection habits and a failure to follow the checklist.'
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Mar 1999 | Piper PA-31-350 | Waterloo, Iowa, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Jul 1999 | Piper PA-31-350 | Garden Valley, Idaho, United States | Salmon Air, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 11 Jun 1999 | Piper PA-31-350 | Tanana, Alaska, United States | Larry's Flying Service Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 11 Oct 1999 | Piper PA-31 | Soldotna, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Oct 1999 | Piper PA-31-T3 | Gambell, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Sep 1999 | Piper PA-31-310 | Nicholls Town, Bahamas | Webs Palnes, Inc. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Dec 1999 | Rhea KR-2 | Moreno Valley, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Dec 1999 | Cessna 172A | Shoshone, California, United States | Charles R. Christman | No injuries | - |
| 9 Sep 1999 | Piper PA-22-150 | Strathmore, California, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 12 Sep 1999 | Cessna 172N | San Jose, California, United States | Concord Flight Intl, Inc | No injuries | - |
| 30 Apr 1999 | Schweizer 269C-1 | Concord, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Sep 1999 | Robinson R-22 | Azusa, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |