Piper PA-32 N3326Q

Summary

On 17 January 1996 at about 23:59 local time, a Piper PA-32 registered N3326Q was involved in an accident near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 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

17 January 1996 at 23:59

Classification

Accident

Location

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

General Mitchell Intl (MKE)

Coordinates

42.9801, -87.8995

Aircraft

Piper PA-32

Registration

N3326Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Grand Rapids → Madison

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI96FA113

1 person died.

Inadequate maintenance and inspection in that the Airworthiness Directive which applied to the fuel pump had not been complied with. A factor was the pilot was unable to reach land.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was flying at night, over Lake Michigan, in IFR conditions when he informed Milwaukee Approach that the engine had quit. He was 20 miles northeast of Milwaukee. He was able to glide about 12 miles before impacting the water. The body of the pilot and airplane were recovered about two months after the accident. Examination of the engine driven fuel pump revealed that a 3/4 inch rubber washer was restricting the fuel flow through the outflow valve of the pump. Airworthiness Directive (AD) 93-11-11 states that the remanufactured fuel pump was to be replaced before the next flight in order 'to prevent disruption of fuel flow to the engine, which can result in a loss of engine power.' The AD had not been complied with.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.