Plane Crash List

Piper PA-32-300 N4175R

4 July 1989 · Excelsor Sprgs, Missouri, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 4 July 1989 at about 10:00 local time, a Piper PA-32-300 registered N4175R, operated by David E. Gardner, was involved in an accident near Excelsor Sprgs, Missouri, 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.

The record

Date
at 10:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Excelsor Sprgs, Missouri, United States
Nearest airport
Excelsior Spgs (3EX)
Coordinates
39.3507, -94.2306
Aircraft
Piper PA-32-300
Registration
N4175R
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
David E. Gardner
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Chicago → Kansas City
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Night/Dark
NTSB number
MKC89LA152

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE AND THE PILOTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING ROLL. IMPROPER MAINTENANCE, THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS, AND RESTRICTED VISIBILITY DUE TO OIL ON THE WINDSCREEN WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT HAD DEPARTED THE DUPAGE ARPT, CHICAGO, IL ENROUTE TO KANSAS CITY DTWN ARPT. DURING DESCENT FROM CRZ ALTITUDE THE PLT SAID OIL COVERED THE WINDSCREEN AND ENGINE POWER WAS LOST. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A NIGHT FORCED LANDING AT AN AIRPORT LOCATED ABOUT 45 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE DESTINATION. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE ACFT WAS LOST DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE ACFT CAREENED OFF THE HARD SURFACED RWY INTO ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN WHICH TORE A WING FROM ITS ATTACH POINT. POST ACCIDENT EXAM OF THE ACFT AND ITS RECORDS SHOWED THAT IT HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY INSPECTED AND WAS NOT AIRWORTHY FOR THIS FLIGHT. THE ENGINE FAILED IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE A FAILURE INDICATIVE OF A CONNECTING ROD, ROD END OR ROD BOLT FAILURE WITH A RESULTANT HOLE IN THE ENGINE CASE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-32 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
9 Mar 1989 Piper PA-32
N4257T
Kasigluk, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
26 Apr 1989 Piper PA-32-300
N8654N
Eufaula, Oklahoma, United States Bauer, Kathleen No injuries -
26 Nov 1989 Piper PA-32-300
N416CP
Boulder City, Nevada, United States Bellis, James E. No injuries -
1 Aug 1989 Piper PA-32-300
N8909N
Danbury, Connecticut, United States
approximate position
Miles B Reese No injuries -
16 Jun 1989 Piper PA-32-300
N32062
Eek, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
23 Jun 1989 Piper PA-32-300
N15306
Tuntutuliak, Alaska, United States - No injuries -

All 1,695 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
11 Nov 1989 Cessna T210
N6397U
Columbia, Missouri, United States - Serious injuries -
1 Oct 1989 Beechcraft 35
N3106V
Mountain View, Missouri, United States Morton, Gary L. No injuries -
3 Oct 1989 Bellanca 17-30
N6569V
Gainesville, Missouri, United States Miller, William A. Serious injuries -
16 Oct 1989 Cessna 152
N4904B
St Louis, Missouri, United States - No injuries -
6 Oct 1989 Piper PA-28-161
N8222F
Jefferson City, Missouri, United States Fritz, Michael A. No injuries -
14 Jun 1989 Piper PA-25-235
N6579Z
Auxvasse, Missouri, United States Rufener, James E Fatal 1

All 170,864 records in United States