- Date
- August 4, 1982, 23:49 local (Aug 5, 1982, 03:49 UTC)
- Place
- Raleigh, NC
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4076WPiper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report August 4, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820804069399A
- Case key
- 72337
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
Shortly after takeoff the acft caught fire. The plt attempted to turn back to the arpt but the eng lost power & the acftcould not maintain altitude. The acft crashed into a heavily wooded state park. The #5 cylinder exhaust pipe was found separated & was not burned or sooted. Extensive melting was evident around the intake & exhaust ports on the #5 cylinder. The head of the #5 cylinder was completely burned through. The acft had completed an annual inspection 30 hrs prior to the accident & records revealed that the exhaust system gaskets had been replaced. Metallurgical examination with a scanning electronic microscope showed no evidence of nut-tightening marks on the failed exhaust pipe flange while distinct nut-tightening marks were observed on two exhaust pipes that remained attached.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4076W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3240117
- Airframe hours
- 412
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- Both
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Fast Eddie'S Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Fast Eddie'S Flying Service
- Departed
- RDU · Raleigh, NC
- Destination
- C · Richmond, VA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- RDU · Raleigh Durham Municipal, runway 14, 4,498 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 57
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 1,928 total · 510 in this make and model · 1,928 as pilot in command · 216 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Temperature
- 162 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.