Plane Crash List

Piper PA-24-180 N5981P

17 August 1992 · Russellville, Arkansas, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 17 August 1992 at about 20:45 local time, a Piper PA-24-180 registered N5981P, operated by Hargus, Herbert H., was involved in an accident near Russellville, Arkansas, 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 20:45
Classification
Accident
Location
Russellville, Arkansas, United States
Coordinates
35.2701, -93.1396
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-180
Registration
N5981P
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Hargus, Herbert H.
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Other Work Use
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
FTW92LA210

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE. FACTORS WERE THE PROPELLER SYSTEM'S PITCH CHANGE MECHANISM DISCONNECTED DUE TO IMPROPER OVERHAUL AND FAILURE TO INSTALL THE STAKING PINS BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT, WHO WAS ALSO THE MECHANIC, WAS PERFORMING AN IN FLIGHT RIGGING CHECK OF THE AIRPLANE. DURING CLIMB, A POP SOUND WAS HEARD AND PROPELLER THRUST WAS LOST. MOVEMENT OF THE PROPELLER CONTROL HAD NO EFFECT AND AN EMERGENCY DESCENT WAS INITIATED BY THE PILOT. A 35 TO 40 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WAS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN 85 KNOTS DURING THE FORCED LANDING TO A ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS NOT SECURED BY THE PILOT. A HARD LANDING OCCURRED AT AN ESTIMATED 1,800 FEET PER MINUTE DESCENT RATE, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. THE PROPELLER SYSTEM WAS TORN DOWN AND TWO STAKING PINS WERE MISSING. THE GUIDE COLLAR, ROD, FORK, AND PISTON HAD ROTATED AROUND THE HUB. THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE DISCONNECTED FROM THE PITCH CHANGE MECHANISM. THE PROPELLER ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN OVERHAULED AND INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 31.7 HOURS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-24 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
19 Dec 1992 Piper PA-24-180
N6185P
Gaylord, Michigan, United States John C Myers & Clare R Colwell Fatal 2
16 Mar 1992 Piper PA-24-180
N6863P
Longmont, Colorado, United States Pete Peters No injuries -
8 Jun 1992 Piper PA-24-260
N9307P
Opa Locka, Florida, United States Joseph A. Kreutle Minor injuries -
25 Oct 1992 Piper PA-24-180
N6345P
Ludington, Michigan, United States Zeeland Aero Club, Inc. No injuries -
19 Apr 1992 Piper PA-24-180
N5112P
Moontown, Alabama, United States Akins, Robert D. No injuries -
27 Nov 1992 Piper PA-24
N6115P
Rialto, California, United States Kinney, Elmer L. No injuries -

All 2,700 records for this type

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2 Mar 1992 Grumman G-164A
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7 Mar 1992 Cameron 084
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Maumelle, Arkansas, United States Strack, John L. No injuries -
9 Mar 1992 Cessna 172P
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16 Mar 1992 Ayres S2R-T34
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Wright, Arkansas, United States
no coordinates
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All 170,864 records in United States