Piper PA-32-260 N3631W

Summary

On 8 April 1995 at about 21:29 local time, a Piper PA-32-260 registered N3631W was involved in an accident near St. Clair, Missouri, 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.

Date

8 April 1995 at 21:29

Classification

Accident

Location

St. Clair, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

St. Clair Regional (K39)

Coordinates

38.2994, -90.8204

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-260

Registration

N3631W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI95LA120

1 person died.

the pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to drugs which led to his operating the airplane with a known mechanical deficiency.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER AN ABORTED TAKEOFF DUE TO POOR ACCELERATION, THE PILOT DROPPED OFF HIS PASSENGERS. ONE PASSENGER, A PILOT, TOLD HIM TO HAVE A MECHANIC LOOK AT THE AIRPLANE BEFORE HE FLEW IT AGAIN. THE PILOT SAID YES AND PROCEEDED TO TAKEOFF. THE DEPLANED PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 15 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, DESCENDED ABOUT 10 FEET, BEGAN A LEFT TURN, AND DRAGGED ITS WINGTIP IN THE DIRT. THE LEFT WING'S FUEL TANK AREA RUPTURED. THE AIRPLANE THEN COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, SPINNING AROUND AND COMING TO A STOP ENGULFED IN FLAMES. AN EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM AND PROPELLER REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED MECHANICAL CONTINUITY THROUGHOUT. HOWEVER, ENGINE CYLINDERS NUMBER 5 AND 6 HAD THEIR RESPECTIVE CAMSHAFT LOBES WORN DOWN SO THAT THEIR VALVES WOULD ONLY OPEN ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF THE MANUFACTURER'S PRESCRIBED DISTANCES. THE FAA'S CIVIL AERO MEDICAL INSTITUTE (CAMI) TOXICOLOGY REPORT SHOWED HIGH LEVELS OF PRESCIPTION NARCOTIC PAINKILLERS IN THE PILOT'S BLOOD AND LIVER FLUIDS. REVIEW OF THE PILOT'S RECORDS FROM CAMI REVEALED A HISTORY OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE WITH ANGIOPLASTY PERFORMED 8/10/94, AND A HISTORY OF LOW BACK BACK PAIN FOR WHICH HE WAS PRESCRIBED LARGE AMOUNTS OF NARCOTIC PAINKILLERS. HE HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED A CURRENT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.