Oakland Pontiac Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pontiac, Michigan 48053
Tuesady, December 11, 1984 19:32 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE AIRPORT WITH ONE DRY AIR PUMP INOPERATIVE AND THE OTHER PUMP READING LOW. AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS LOST DURING AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH IN IMC APPROXIMATELY 2.5 HOURS LATER. BOTH PUMP DRIVESHAFTS WERE FOUND SHEARED IN THE WRECKAGE AND BOTH BROKEN SHAFT SURFACES SHOWED POLISHED SURFACES. DURING FURTHER TESTING IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT TAPE OR PIPE DOPE HAD BEEN USED IN THE THREADING OF THE INTAKE & OUTFLOW FITTINGS OF THE LEFT PUMP. NO CONTAMINANTS WERE FOUND IN THE RT PUMP BUT THE PUMP WALL INNER SURFACES GAP WAS APPRX .005 IN. THIS GAP IS APPROX 50 PERCENT OVER THE ALLOWABLE TOLERANCE FOR A SERVICEABLE AIR PUMP.THE PRESSURE REGULATOR VALVE TO THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR GYRO & THE COMPASS GYRO WERE EXAMINED & FOUND TO REQUIRE PRESSURE EXCEEDING NORMAL REQUIREMENT STANDARDS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/11/1984
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1932
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PONTIAC
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48053
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport OAKLAND PONTIAC
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PTK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 265
Airport Elevation 980
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1932 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID PTK
Elevation of weather observation facility 980
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3186
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27295
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9011Y
NTSB Number CHI85FA070
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31
Aircraft Serial Number 3116
Certified Max Gross Weight 6500
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 3 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 3979
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARDS AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 30079
Aircraft Owner City MEMPHIS
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38130
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 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 Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code M08
Departure City BOLIVAR
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1553
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PTK
Destination City PONTIAC
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 6200
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --