Piper PA-31-350 N53RT
30 April 1982 · Enterprise, Alabama, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 30 April 1982 at about 20:50 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N53RT, operated by Huntsville Aviation, was involved in an incident near Enterprise, Alabama, United States. 7 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.
The record
- Date
- at 20:50
- Classification
- Incident
- Location
- Enterprise, Alabama, United States
- Nearest airport
- Enterprise Municipal (93J)
- Coordinates
- 31.3206, -85.8395
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350
- Registration
- N53RT
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Huntsville Aviation
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Enterprise → Enterprise
- Aircraft damage
- Minor
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL82IA121
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Probable cause
The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.
Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.
Read the full NTSB narrative
SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE PILOT FELT THE AIRCRAFT YAW LEFT AND NOTICED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE MANIFOLD PRESSURE HAD DROPPED FROM 42" HG TO 29" HG. HE ANALYSED A TURBOCHARGER FAILURE AND ELECTED TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING IN THE NORMALLYASPIRATED MODE. AT APPROXIMATELY 400' THE PILOT SAW SMOKE AND FIRE COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. HE SECURED AND FEATHERED THE ENGINE AND MADE A SINGLE ENGINE LANDING. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE RIGHT SIDE COMMON EXHAUSTPIPE FROM THE #1,3 AND 5 CYLINDERS TO THE TURBO HAD SEPARATED. THIS SEPARATION ALLOWED HOT EXHAUST GASES TO IMPINGE ON THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND BURN THROUGH THE COWL AND SEVERAL WIRES. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE DETACHED PART HAD BEEN REPLACED 1.5 HOURS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A WRONG REPLACEMENT PART WAS USED WHICH WAS SHORTER THAN THE REQUIRED PART. INSTALLATION WAS POSSIBLE DUE TO OVERLAPPING EXHAUST TUBE SLIP JOINTS. POOR ORGANIZATIONAND NUMBERING OF PARTS CATALOGS WAS CITED BY THE MAINTENENCE FACILITY AS CONTRIBUTING TO THE INSTALLATION ERROR.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jun 1982 | Piper PA-31-325 | Asheboro, North Carolina, United States | Clarence Roberts/Roberts Avia. | No injuries | - |
| 23 Nov 1982 | Piper PA-31-350 | Richmond, Virginia, United States | Mid South Airlines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 2 Sep 1982 | Piper PA-31-350 | Near Lakeland, Florida, United States | Piper Aircraft Corporation | Fatal | 2 |
| 1 Apr 1982 | Piper PA-31-350 | Miami, Florida, United States | Finair | No injuries | - |
| 14 Nov 1982 | Piper PA-31-310 | Spencer, Virginia, United States | 7 C's Transportation, Inc. | Fatal | 8 |
| 13 Jan 1982 | Piper PA-31-350 | Spokane, Washington, United States | Richard Engstrom | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Aug 1982 | Grumman G164B | Opp, Alabama, United States | Robert Dirk Merrill | No injuries | - |
| 13 Sep 1982 | Piper PA-25 | Red Level, Alabama, United States | Charles Lawson | No injuries | - |
| 2 Mar 1982 | Smith Mini | Brownsboro, Alabama, United States | Al Huff | Minor injuries | - |
| 20 Jun 1982 | Cessna 182B | Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States | Jerry T. Montgomery | Minor injuries | - |
| 16 Mar 1982 | Beechcraft C24R | Mobile, Alabama, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 16 Sep 1982 | Grumman G-164B | Society Hill, Alabama, United States | James H. Morris | No injuries | - |