Piper PA-28-161 N3013C

Summary

On 15 October 1999 at about 17:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N3013C, operated by Hiram L. Allen, was involved in an accident near Lebanon, Tennessee, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 October 1999 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Lebanon, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Lee Field (1TN0)

Coordinates

36.2003, -86.3199

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N3013C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Hiram L. Allen

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Nashville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA00LA007

1 person had minor injuries.

The inadequate annual inspection of the airplane by the mechanic for his failure to note that the threaded portion of the bail wire had 2 1/2 failed threads which resulted in the inability to keep the gascolator bowl tightly secured. Also his failure to note this condition during replacement of the gascolator seal following a similar loss of engine power on the first takeoff following the annual inspection which was performed approximately 3 hours earlier. A contributing factor to the accident was the unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot during the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After takeoff about 75 feet agl, the engine experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot landed the airplane on the remaining runway and collided with trees, separating the right wing. Post accident examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that the gascolator bowl was loose and fuel leakage was noted at the gascolator when the auxiliary fuel pump was turned on. The threaded portion of the bail wire P/N 494 644, was noted to have 2 1/2 failed threads near the top. The gascolator was bypassed, the engine was started and found to operate normally. During the last annual inspection, the gascolator seal was replaced. It was reported by the pilot that on the first takeoff following the annual inspection, the engine experienced a loss of power in an identical manner; an uneventful landing occurred. Following the uneventful landing, the mechanic who performed the annual inspection and the pilot noted that the gascolator seal was not seated properly. A rubber gascolator seal was installed to replace the cork type seal that had been installed during the annual inspection. The airplane had accumulated approximately 3 hours since the annual inspection at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.