Piper PA-28-235 N9465W

Summary

On 22 November 1989 at about 03:43 local time, a Piper PA-28-235 registered N9465W, operated by Harris Int'l Flying Club, was involved in an accident near Monroe Center, Illinois, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 November 1989 at 03:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Monroe Center, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

42.1103, -89.0005

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-235

Registration

N9465W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Harris Int'l Flying Club

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rockford → Bloomington

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI90FA029

3 people died.

IN-FLIGHT FIRE INITIATED BY AN INADEQUATELY INSTALLED WIRING HARNESS AND PROPAGATED BY AN EXISTING FUEL LEAK WHICH WAS NOT REPAIRED.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT TOOK OFF IN IMC CONDITIONS AT NIGHT; CRASHED 9 MINUTES LATER. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT IN A STEEP DIVE, ON FIRE, PRIOR TO IMPACT. EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE INTERIOR CABIN. NO EVIDENCE OF INSULATION GROMMET AT FRAME PENETRATION OF MAIN WIRING HARNESS, OR CABLE INSULATION FROM THIS POINT TO BATTERY. BATTERY BOX BULGED OUT ALL SIDES, BLACK & CHARRED. WING SPAR WEB MELTED AND MISSING FROM WHERE ELECT FUEL PUMP ATTACHES TO SPAR TO RIGHT SIDE WING ATTACH POINT. ALUM WIRING REPLACED DURING LAST ANNUAL 4/29/89. LOG SHEET ENTRY 11/18/89 'BAD GAS SMELL!'.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.