Perry County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marion, Alabama 36756
Friday, April 12, 1985 6:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

CRUISING AT 4000 FT MSL WHEN ENGINE VIBRATION OCCURRED AND BECAME SEVERE. REDUCED THROTTE BUT ROUGHNESS PERSISTED. UNABLE TO MNTN ALTITUDE WITH 2000 RPM AND 25 INCHES MAP. MADE FORCED LDG IN CORN FIELD. NOSE LDG GR COLLAPSED. ENGINE CHECKED OUT OKAY. ONE PROPELLER PIN BROKEN DUE TO FATIGUE. OPPOSITE OUTER BEARING RACE RUSTED AND BROKEN WITH FATIGUE FRACTURE. LUBRICANT WAS DRY AND CAKED ON BEARINGS AND BEARING RACE. 34 HRS SINCE 100-HR INSPECTION. 1084 HOURS SINCE PROP OVERHAUL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/12/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 640
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MARION
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36756
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PERRY COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID A09
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 234
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 646 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 25
Weather Observation Facility ID CKL
Elevation of weather observation facility 250
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5006
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 12 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27666
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N46PC
NTSB Number ATL85IA132
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32R7680202
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 27 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 3752
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONDOR AERO SERVICES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 795
Aircraft Owner City CULLMAN
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35055
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4100 65TH STREET NORTH
Operator City BIRMINGHAM
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 35055
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BHM
Departure City BIRMINGHAM
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 614
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BFM
Destination City MOBILE
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --