# Accident 19960826024249A: Piper PA32R300, Medford, MN, August 26, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 26, 1996, 10:32 local time
- Place: Medford, MN
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.1707° N, 93.2393° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.1707&lon=-93.2393&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7133C, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7133C-1997-01-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32R-300 (registry code 7103213, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32R300
- Reported engine: LYC IO540K1A5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI96FA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96FA314) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960826024249A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LOST VACUUM PUMP EN ROUTE. ELECTED CONTINUE DESTINATION. TWO PUMPS NR1 BLOCKED BY GASKET. HOLE IN MANIFOLD. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT, EDEN PRAIRIE, MN (KFCM) ENROUTE TO DAVENPORT, IA. PILOT WAS EMPLOYED BY MIDWAY OIL CO. AIRCRAFT OWNED BY PRESIDENT OF MIDWAY OIL CO. PILOT HAD OFFLOADED COMPANY PERSONNEL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM KFCM. PILOT REPORTED LOSS OF VACUUM PUMP TO ARTCC WHILE ENROUTE. HE WAS OFFERED OPTIONS FOR NEARBY AIRPORTS, ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO DESTINATION, ADVISING OF INSTRUMENT PROBLEMS AND REQUESTING EXPANDED AIRSPACE OPTIONS. AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN MODIFIED WITH STC FOR SECONDARY VACUUM SOURCE. ARTCC OBSERVED RADAR RETURN SHOWING "S-TURNS" INCREASING IN AMPLITUDE WITH ALTITUDE RELATIVELY CONSTANT, FOLLOWED BY ALTITUDE LOSS AT APPROXIMATELY 400'/MINUTE. A RAPID ALTITUDE LOSS FOLLOWED AND NO RESPONSE FROM THE PILOT TO RADIO COMMUNICATION ATTEMPTS BY ARTCC. NTAP DATA OBTAINED AND PROVIDED TO NTSB. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A RELATIVELY WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHILE IN A DESCENT ANGLE OF APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 20 DEGREES. THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED AT IMPACT. A FIRE OCCURRED AT IMPA                                          CT AS THE AIRCRAFT WINGS AND OTHER COMPONENTS SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE PILOT WAS EJECTED FROM THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH THE COCKPIT WINDSHIELD AND SUSTAINED SEVERE FATAL INJURIES. AIRCRAFT LOG BOOKS AND AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE WERE FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE. UNABLE TO LOCATE PILOT LOG BOOKS. EXAMINATION OF WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT SECONDARY VACUUM SOURCE WAS BLOCKED BY GASKET AND HOLE IN MANIFOLD NOT ALIGNED WITH TUBING.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI96FA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96FA314), Aug 26, 1996: Piper PA-32R-300 (N7133C), Medford, MN, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane, due to spatial disorientation. Factors relating to the accident were: failure of the (primary) vacuum system and a restriction in the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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