Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brighton, Michigan 48116
Saturday, January 21, 1989 12:55 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS ON A X-COUNTRY FLT WHEN HE NOTICED THE OIL PRESSURE WAS DECREASING RAPIDLY. HE ELECTED TO MAKE AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING, BUT THE ENGINE SEIZED BEFORE HE COULD REACH THE SELECTED AREA. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED DURING A WHEELS UP LANDING. INITIAL TOUCHDOWN WAS ON A GRAVEL ROAD AND THE ACFT HIT A BERM BEFORE SLOWING TO A STOP. AN EXAM OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE REVEALED AN OIL (QUICK) DRAIN VALVE (AEROQUIP PN: AE80664H) HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON 7/10/87. IT WAS INSTALLED WITH A 4-3/8 INCH HOSE THAT EXTENDED BELOW THE ENGINE RESERVOIR, IN THE VICINITY OF THE LANDING GEAR. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE DRAIN VALVE WAS PUSHED OPEN BY MOVEMENT OF THE LANDING GEAR AS IT WAS BEING RETRACTED. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF OIL & SUBSEQUENT ENGINE SEIZURE. THIS DRAIN VALVE WAS NOT APPROVED FOR INSTALLATION ON THIS MODEL OF AIRCRAFT. PIPER SERVICE LETTER 910 & AD 81-11-02/R1 SPECIFIED USE OF ANOTHER VALVE (PIPER PN: 492-172V).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INSTALLATION OF AN IMPROPER OIL DRAIN VALVE BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE APPLICABLE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE (AD 81-11-02/R1), RESULTING IN SUBSEQUENT INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE LANDING GEAR AND OIL DRAIN VALVE. THIS CAUSED THE VALVE TO MOVE OPEN & LEAK, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ALL ENGINE OIL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/21/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1255
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BRIGHTON
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48116
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1154 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 296
Weather Observation Facility ID LAN
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 38
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1763
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 21 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1255
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40820
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3536M
NTSB Number CHI89DEC02
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-201
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-201
Aircraft Serial Number 28R7837121
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 2 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 119
Airframe Hours 1333
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID J. SCHWARTZ
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6380 TAMER LANE
Aircraft Owner City W. BLOOMFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48033
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PTK
Departure City PONTIAC
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JXN
Destination City JACKSON
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --