Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pleasant Hill, Oregon 97401
Monday, January 4, 1982 16:22 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLANE TOOKOFF AT 1505 PST ON A LOCAL VFR PLEASURE FLIGHT WITH 4 OCCUPANTS AND ABOUT 48 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE PLANE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 140 LBS OVER THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT. AT ABOUT 1622 PST, IT WAS OBSERVED TO BREAK UP IN FLIGHT. SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED THE PLANE DIVING OUT OF A CLOUD. MOST REPORTED HEARING SOME TYPE OF EXPLOSIVE SOUND, AND MANY ALSO REPORTED HEARING A HIGH-PITCH WHINING/SCREAMING/REVVING SOUND JUST BEFORE OR AFTER BREAKUP. THE PLANE WAS ESTIMATED TO STILL BE ABOUT 63 LBS OVER THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT LIMIT WHEN IT BROKE UP. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND SCATTERED OVER AN AREA OF MORE THAN 1000 FT. THE HORIZONTAL STABILATORS AND VERTICAL STABILIZER HAD FAILED IN THEIR ROOT AREAS AND SEPARATED. THE RIGHT STABILATOR HAD A DOWNWARD SPANWIZE CAMBER. BOTH WINGS SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE WITH THE OUTBOARD 4 FT ALSO SEPARATING. THE LEADING EDGES OF THE RIGHT AND LEFT INBOARD WING SECTIONS WERE DAMAGED AND MOLDED IN A MANNER THAT ONE CLOSELY MATCHED THE OTHER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/4/1982
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1622
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City PLEASANT HILL
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97401
Event Date Year 1982
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1555
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 125
Weather Observation Facility ID EUG
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 241
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8265A
NTSB Number SEA82FA015
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-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 288116037
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 875
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DALE H. BRIDGES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 90454 BOEING DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City EUGENE
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97402
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THOMAS E. MAGNER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 777 W. 10TH
Operator City EUGENE
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97402
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City EUGENE
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1505
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City EUGENE
Destination State OR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
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 --