Plane Crash List

Piper PA-24-180 N7443P

7 July 1993 · Madison Heights, Virginia, United States · Fatal

Summary

On 7 July 1993 at about 14:02 local time, a Piper PA-24-180 registered N7443P, operated by Andrew G. Smith III, was involved in an accident near Madison Heights, Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 14:02
Classification
Accident
Location
Madison Heights, Virginia, United States
Coordinates
37.4300, -79.1001
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-180
Registration
N7443P
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Andrew G. Smith III
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Charlottesville → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
BFO93FA113

People

1 person died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 1 0 0 0

Probable cause

ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO OIL STARVATION AS A RESULT OF INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF THE OIL COOLER LINES.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 3,000 FT THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT THE ENGINE WAS LOSING OIL PRESSURE. WHILE BEING VECTORED TO AN AIRPORT, THE PILOT REPORTED 'ENGINE'S GOING'. WITNESSES OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE AIRPLANE, AND A SPUTTERING ENGINE NOISE. THE ENGINE NOISE CEASED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO PITCH UP, BANK LEFT, AND IMPACT A TREE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED OIL STARVATION DUE TO A RUPTURED OIL COOLER LINE. THE LINE WAS DETERIORATED NEAR THE AREA CLOSEST TO THE EXHAUST STACK. MAINTENANCE LOGS WERE NOT RECOVERED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-24 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
26 Sep 1993 Piper PA-24-260
N8992P
Niagara Falls, New York, United States L & L Aviation Inc. Fatal -
6 Apr 1993 Piper PA-24
N5541P
Casper, Wyoming, United States Kringle, Wendell K. No injuries -
14 Oct 1993 Piper PA-24-250
N6846P
Thief Rvr Falls, Minnesota, United States - No injuries -
2 Jul 1993 Piper PA-24-180
N8058P
Malibu, California, United States - Minor injuries -
27 Jan 1993 Piper PA-24
N5322P
Buffalo, Missouri, United States LEE, Albert E. Serious injuries -
22 Aug 1993 Piper PA-24
N8267P
Ilwaco, Washington, United States - No injuries -

All 2,700 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
4 Sep 1993 Cessna 172P
N50927
Pembroke, Virginia, United States Air Chesterfield Inc. Fatal 1
9 May 1993 Piper PA-28-181
N82836
Chesterfield, Virginia, United States Aero Industries Minor injuries -
11 Sep 1993 Cessna 172N
N5347J
Tangier Island, Virginia, United States Reichard Aviation Inc. Minor injuries -
15 May 1993 Cessna 152
N68910
Norfolk, Virginia, United States
no coordinates
Rick Aviation No injuries -
16 May 1993 Cessna 172E
N5416T
Manassas, Virginia, United States
no coordinates
Continental Aviation Club Inc. Minor injuries -
25 Sep 1993 Cessna 172
N9841L
Emporia, Virginia, United States Civil Air Patrol, Inc. No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States