Piper PA-28-181 N763DS
14 February 1990 · Worcester, Massachusetts, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 14 February 1990 at about 01:31 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N763DS, operated by City Aviation, was involved in an accident near Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. 4 people were on board and one had minor injuries. 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 01:31
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181
- Registration
- N763DS
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- City Aviation
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Norwood → Northampton
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- NYC90LA068
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Probable cause
A POWER LOSS DUE TO AN OIL PUMP FAILURE WHILE OPERATING OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS NIGHT CONDITIONS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
AT NIGHT, WHILE ENROUTE TO NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS, THE AIRPLANE ENGINE FAILED. THE PILOT LANDED IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL CENTER, WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, AND COLLIDED WITH A CAR AND A UTILITY POLE THAT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. THE ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED THE OIL PUMP FAILED. THE CONNECTING RODS WERE OVERTEMPERTURED, AND THE BEARINGS OF THE CONNECTING RODS HAD FAILED. BENCH BINOCULAR MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION OF THE DRIVE AND DRIVEN IMPELLER FRACTURE SURFACES OF THE OIL PUMP REVEALED THAT THEY BROKE AS A RESULT OF OVERSTRESS SEPARATIONS. THE DRIVEN IMPELLER HAD CHARACTERISTICS TYPICAL OF A SINTERED-POWER-METAL COMPONENTS, THE TOTAL TIME ON THE COMPONENT WAS 1828.0 HOURS. THE DRIVE IMPELLER APPEARED TO BE MACHINED FROM BARSTOCK (STEEL). SB-456C TIME OF COMPLIANCE WAS AT NEXT OVERHAUL, NOT TO EXCEED 2000 HOURS WITH SINTERED IRON GEARS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-28 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Dec 1990 | Piper PA-28-151 | Jupiter, Florida, United States | Zimmerman, Barry L. | No injuries | - |
| 24 Apr 1990 | Piper PA-28-161 | Chandler, Arizona, United States | Chandler Air Service | No injuries | - |
| 13 Oct 1990 | Piper PA-28-140 | Agua Dulce, California, United States | R.i. Flying Club | Serious injuries | - |
| 20 May 1990 | Piper PA-28-181 | East Lansing, Michigan, United States | J. J. Tiefenthaler | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Apr 1990 | Piper PA-28-140 | Forsyth, Montana, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Feb 1990 | Piper PA-28-161 | Sebastian, Florida, United States | FL Institute of Technology | Fatal | 1 |
All 9,402 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jul 1990 | Schweizer SGS-2-33A | Gt. Barrington, Massachusetts, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1990 | Beechcraft 58P | Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Aug 1990 | Bell 206B | Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States | Joseph T. Duggan, III | No injuries | - |
| 15 Aug 1990 | Grumman AA5B | Stow, Massachusetts, United States | Hung YU | No injuries | - |
| 20 Aug 1990 | Cessna 150L | Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States | Aviation East | Minor injuries | - |
| 28 Aug 1990 | Cessna 152 | Provincetown, Massachusetts, United States | Mike Bello | Fatal | 2 |