Piper PA-38-112 N4279E

Summary

On 20 January 1995 at about 16:45 local time, a Piper PA-38-112 registered N4279E, operated by HI Desert Airport, was involved in an accident near Joshua Tree, California, United States. One person was 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.

Date

20 January 1995 at 16:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Joshua Tree, California, United States

Nearest airport

Hi Desert (L80)

Coordinates

34.1499, -116.2707

Aircraft

Piper PA-38-112

Registration

N4279E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

HI Desert Airport

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95FA082

1 person had minor injuries.

the operator's inadequate annual inspection by failing to find that the flight control's horizontal section of the 'T' bar was rubbing against the vacuum hoses behind the instrument panel. The jammed 'T' bar and the rough terrain were factors in this accident.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RAISE THE ELEVATORS DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL. THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF, BUT THE REMAINING RUNWAY WAS INSUFFICIENT TO STOP THE AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE RUNWAY AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED WHEN IT ENTERED THE ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN. THE POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE HORIZONTAL 'T' BAR JAMMED AGAINST THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR HOSES. THIS JAMMING INHIBITED REARWARD MOVEMENT OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL WHEEL. THE VACUUM HOSES AND THE AVIONICS INSTALLATION BOX BRACKETS EXHIBITED NUMEROUS RUBBING AND CHAFING SIGNATURES. A 100-HOUR/ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE ACCRUED 99 HOURS SINCE THE INSPECTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.