Piper PA-32R N39620

Summary

On 23 June 1995 at about 20:10 local time, a Piper PA-32R registered N39620 was involved in an accident near Columbia, Missouri, United States. 2 people were 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.

Date

23 June 1995 at 20:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Columbia, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Colombia Regional Airport (COU)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R

Registration

N39620

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Iowa City → Point Lookout

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI95LA196

Nobody was injured.

A LOOSE (OR MISSING) NUT AND CLIP FOR THE BOTTOM MAGNETO STUD, DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE, AND FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE MAGNETO HOUSING FLANGE, WHICH RESTULTED IN AN OIL LEAK, ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, AND A FORCED LANDING. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE NECESSITY FOR THE PILOT TO DELAY EXTENDING THE LANDING GEAR, SO THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD CLEAR OBSTRUCTIONS AND REACH A FAVORABLE LANDING AREA.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HEARD A MUFFLED EXPLOSION FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE ENGINE QUIT AND FLAMES STARTED COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COWLING. THE CABIN BEGAN FILLING WITH SMOKE, AND OIL BEGAN SPEWING ONTO THE WINDSCREEN. THE PILOT SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTED PROCEDURES FOR IN-FLIGHT FIRE AND SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. HE THEN MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD. HOWEVER, BEFORE LANDING, THE PILOT DELAYED GEAR EXTENSION, SO THAT HE COULD REMAIN CLEAR OF OBSTRUCTIONS AND REACH A SUITABLE LANDING AREA. THE GEAR DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO BE FULLY EXTENDED, AND IT COLLAPSED ON TOUCHDOWN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE DUAL MAGNETO HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE. THE BOTTOM MAGNETO HOLD DOWN CLIP WAS FOUND IN THE COWLING, BUT NEITHER THE LOCKWASHER OR NUT WERE RECOVERED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE MAGNETO HOUSING REVEALED TWO LONGITUDINAL MARKINGS (CHIPPED PAINT). THE BOTTOM CLIP HAD A SPACING WHICH MATCHED THE CHIPPED PAINT ON THE MAGNETO HOUSING, AS IF THE CLIP HAD MOVED LONGITUDINALLY RELATIVE TO THE HOUSING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE TOP MAGNETO HOUSING FLANGE, WHICH HAD SEPARATED FROM THE MAGNETO, REVEALED FRACTURE SURFACE MARKINGS INDICATIVE OF FATIGUE CRACKING BEFORE THE ONSET OF OVERSTRESS SEPARATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.