Piper PA-32R-300 N1358H

Summary

On 14 March 2012 at about 19:45 local time, a Piper PA-32R-300 registered N1358H, operated by Landers Morris John JR, was involved in an incident near Warrenton, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 March 2012 at 19:45

Classification

Incident

Location

Warrenton, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Warrenton-Fauquier Airport (HWY)

Coordinates

38.5864, -77.7106

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-300

Registration

N1358H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Landers Morris John JR

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Manassas → Warrenton

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12IA237

Nobody was injured.

Maintenance personnel's failure to identify stress corrosion cracking in the stabilator control cable during the most recent inspection, and the subsequent failure of the cable on the flight after the inspection.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the landing flare, the pilot heard a "boom," the airplane's nose dropped, and the airplane contacted the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed that the lower stabilator control cable turnbuckle had fractured as a result of stress corrosion cracking. An annual inspection was completed on the airplane the day before the accident. According to the airframe logbook entry, the inspection was performed in accordance with the PA32R-300 inspection checklist, which required, in part, inspection of the stabilator cable terminals and turnbuckles. The NTSB issued recommendations in 2001 to the FAA regarding the failure of control cable turnbuckles and recommending issuance of an airworthiness directive to require inspections of affected aircraft. On August 2, 2012, the FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking indicating the intention to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) that would require inspections of the stabilator control system and replacement of parts as necessary. The AD would be applicable for PA-28, PA-32, PA-34, and PA-44 airplanes.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.