20070704012899A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-22-135 · Johnson, NE · July 4, 2007

Date: July 4, 2007 · 11:20 local
Place: Johnson, NE
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N3737A
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI07LA191
Reported as: Piper PA22135
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 800 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N3737ARegistration cancelled Sep 19, 2007 · Piper PA-22-135S/N 22-1980 · Built 1953 Airframe modelPiper PA-22-135 Engine modelLycoming 0-290 series4 cycle

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.

(-23) On July 4, 2007, the pilot of a Piper pacer PA-22-135, N3737A, took off from the tecumseh NE, airport, and flew over his home at Johnson, NE. After flying over his home, he made a right hand turn to fly to falls city, NE, where he was taking the aircraft for an annual inspection. During his right hand turn, the left forward wing strut failed causing the left wing to separate from the fuselage thereby causing the aircraft to crash. The pilot was killed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JULY 4, 2007, THE PILOT OF A PIPER PACER PA-22-135, N3737A, TOOK OFF FROM THE TECUMSEH NE, AIRPORT, AND FLEW OVER HIS HOME AT JOHNSON, NE. AFTER FLYING OVER HIS HOME, HE MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN TO FLY TO FALLS CITY, NE, WHERE HE WAS TAKING THE AIRCRAFT FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. DURING HIS RIGHT HAND TURN, THE LEFT FORWARD WING STRUT FAILED CAUSING THE LEFT WING TO SEPARATE FROM THE FUSELAGE THEREBY CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO CRASH. THE PILOT WAS KILLED.

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 CHI07LA191Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportJohnson, NEThe failure of the left wing's lift strut, which resulted in the separation of the left wing, and the subsequent airplane control not being possible. Factors were the overdue annual inspection, the overdue compliance with an Airworthiness Directive on the…Jul 4, 2007 · Substantial damage