Plane Crash List

Piper PA-32-260 N16354

31 May 1995 · Ashland, Virginia, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 31 May 1995 at about 21:35 local time, a Piper PA-32-260 registered N16354, operated by Michael J. Bigg, was involved in an accident near Ashland, Virginia, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 21:35
Classification
Accident
Location
Ashland, Virginia, United States
Nearest airport
Hanover Co. Muni (W83)
Coordinates
37.7603, -77.4694
Aircraft
Piper PA-32-260
Registration
N16354
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Michael J. Bigg
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Emporia → Leesburg
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
NYC95LA130

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

a loss of engine power due to a subsurface fatigue crack in the crankshaft which led to failure of the crankshaft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FLIGHT WAS AT 6,000 FT WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO VIBRATE AND LOSE POWER. THE PILOT SET UP FOR A FORCED LANDING AT AN AIRPORT. THE VIBRATION INCREASED AND THE POWER LOSS CONTINUED. OIL STARTED TO COVER THE WINDSHIELD, AND THE PILOT FOUND IT NECESSARY TO SLIP TO SEE AHEAD WHICH FURTHER REDUCED HIS AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE LANDED 1/4 MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY IN TREES. EXAMINATION OF ENGINE FOUND THE CRANKSHAFT HAD FAILED ON THE FRONT FACE OF THE NUMBER 2 CRANK PIN. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED FRACTURE FEATURES TYPICAL OF A FATIGUE CRACK THAT ORIGINATED BELOW THE SURFACE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-32 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
20 Feb 1995 Piper PA-32-260
N598PR
Caribbean Sea
no coordinates
- No injuries -
1 Jul 1995 Piper PA-32-260
N4823T
Farmington, New Mexico, United States - No injuries -
16 Mar 1995 Piper PA-32-300
N2928A
Lakeville, Minnesota, United States Richard Knutson No injuries -
1 Jul 1995 Piper PA-32-301
N8385G
Kodiak, Alaska, United States - Fatal 4
8 Apr 1995 Piper PA-32-260
N3631W
St. Clair, Missouri, United States - Fatal 1
5 May 1995 Piper PA-32-260
N3482W
N. Miami Beach, Florida, United States Tynes, Kevin E. Minor injuries -

All 1,695 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
25 Jun 1995 Kolb TWINSTAR
N7165L
Abingdon, Virginia, United States - No injuries -
5 Aug 1995 Cessna 172D
N2418Y
Hague, Virginia, United States Morgan T Moore No injuries -
10 Sep 1995 Beechcraft 65
N945PA
West Point, Virginia, United States Peninsula Sky Divers Fatal 11
9 Aug 1995 North American SNJ-5
N830JD
Luray, Virginia, United States - Serious injuries -
25 Aug 1995 Piper PA-22-150
N3965P
South Boston, Virginia, United States - Serious injuries -
20 Aug 1995 Insua L-21
N2446V
Petersburg, Virginia, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States