- Date
- September 13, 1982, 17:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place
- Red Level, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9728PPiper PA-25
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820913045779A
- Case key
- 72354
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While returning to the airport after spraying crops, the pilot noted a change in the engine sound and noticed a loss of oil pressure. Anticipating an imminent engine failure, the pilot landed on a portion of an old highway that was clear of motor vehicles. After rolling about 75 to 100 yards on a steep grade, the right wing tip hit small gum trees. On the opposite bank of the road were a dense clump of plum trees that were somewhat smaller. The pilot reported that the aircraft was precisely on the centerline of the road at about 50 mph when it struck the trees. The aircraft then swerved to the right and hit a ditch. An examination revealed that a flexible oil line (SR2800-8-0390-64228-6 TSO C53A type c sept 74 pt) ruptured and allowed a loss of engine oil and pressure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9728P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-7556043
- Airframe hours
- 1,738
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B205, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 137
- Operator
- Charles Lawson
- Registered owner
- Charles Lawson
- Departed
- Carolina, AL
- Destination
- Carolina, AL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 4,700 total · 160 in this make and model · 120 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 185 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.