Piper PA-34-200T N5507V

Summary

On 2 October 2004 at about 18:30 local time, a Piper PA-34-200T registered N5507V was involved in an accident near Robbinsville, New Jersey, 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.

Date

2 October 2004 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Robbinsville, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Trenton-Robbinsville Airport (N87)

Coordinates

40.2139, -74.6017

Aircraft

Piper PA-34-200T

Registration

N5507V

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Robbinsville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD05LA001

Nobody was injured.

The repair station's improper installation of the stabilator trim tab. A factor was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the takeoff roll, and at an indicated airspeed of about 70 to 75 knots, the pilot felt the nose of the airplane dip and then rise off the ground. The pilot pushed the control yoke forward to level the airplane; it contacted the runway, and then skidded to a stop. The landing gear collapsed. Examination of the airplane revealed that the stabilator trim rod forward attachment hardware and the aft attachment nut were not installed. Photographs of the stabilator trim tab attachment point showed that it was visible and not obscured by any cowlings or coverings. The loss of the forward attachment hardware would result in an abnormal response, or "lightening," of the stabilator control. About 60 flight hours and 11 months prior to the accident, a repair station had removed, repaired, and reinstalled the stabilator trim tab.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.