Piper PA-32R-301 N8046X

Summary

On 24 November 1987 at about 23:39 local time, a Piper PA-32R-301 registered N8046X, operated by Scope Leasing, was involved in an accident near Commercial Pt, Ohio, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

24 November 1987 at 23:39

Classification

Accident

Location

Commercial Pt, Ohio, United States

Coordinates

39.7700, -83.0600

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-301

Registration

N8046X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Scope Leasing

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Columbus → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL88FA044

2 people died.

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

THE ACFT CRASHED ON A WHEAT FIELD DURING A NIGHT INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLT. THE PLT HAD DECLARED A VACUUM SYSTEM FAILURE ABOUT 40 MINUTES AFTER TAKE-OFF BUT HE DECLINED ATC ASSISTANCE FOR A NO-GYRO APPROACH TO COLUMBUS. TWO MINUTES AFTER THE RADIO CALL RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. RADAR DATA DISCLOSED ERRATIC HEADING AND AIRSPEED CHANGES DURING THE LAST MINUTE OF FLT. DURING THE POST ACC INVESTIGATION EACH OF THE INSTRUMENTS WAS FOUND TO CONTAIN A SUCTION CUP. BUT NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE VACUUM SYSTEM WAS FOUND. THE ACFT HAD ALSO BEEN MODIFIED WITH A STAND BY VACUUM SYSTEM FOR USE IN AN EMERGENCY AFTER FAILURE OF THE PRIMARY SYSTEM. ONLY PIECES OF THE SYSTEM WERE FOUND DUE TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ACFT BUT THE AVAILABLE EVIDENCE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. SUCTION CUPS, LIKE THE ONE FOUND, ARE USED BY INSTRUCTORS TO COVER INSTRUMENTS FOR PARTIAL PANEL TRAINING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.