19960117000679A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32R-300 · Milwaukee, WI · January 17, 1996

Date: January 17, 1996 · 17:59 local
Place: Milwaukee, WI
Airport: General Mitchell Field
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N3326Q
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI96FA113
Reported as: Piper PA32R300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540KIGD
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,671 total1,504 in this make and model58 in the last 90 days

N3326QRegistration cancelled Aug 2, 2004 · Piper PA-32R-300S/N 32R-7780305 · Built 1977 Airframe modelPiper PA-32R-300 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Reported engine out, vectored for surveillance approach to runway, radar contact was lost. (.4)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. (-23) unknown at this time, aircraft or pilot have not been recovered from lake Michigan.

As the FAA filed it

REPORTED ENGINE OUT, VECTORED FOR SURVEILLANCE APPROACH TO RUNWAY, RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. (.4)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. (-23) UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME, AIRCRAFT OR PILOT HAVE NOT BEEN RECOVERED FROM LAKE MICHIGAN.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI96FA113Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportMilwaukee, WIInadequate 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.Jan 17, 1996 · Destroyed