- Date
- April 12, 1985, 06:40 local (12:40 UTC)
- Place
- Marion, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N46PCPiper PA-32R-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850412035949I
- Case key
- 6675
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
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
Cruising at 4000 ft MSL when engine vibration occurred and became severe. Reduced throtte but roughness persisted. Unable to mntn altitude with 2000 RPM and 25 inches map. Made forced ldg in corn field. Nose ldg gr collapsed. Engine checked out okay. One propeller pin broken due to fatigue. Opposite outer bearing race rusted and broken with fatigue fracture. Lubricant was dry and caked on bearings and bearing race. 34 hrs since 100-HR inspection. 1084 hours since prop overhaul.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N46PC
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R7680202
- Airframe hours
- 3,752
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Condor Aero Services, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 27, 1985 · 34 hours before
- Departed
- BHM · Birmingham, AL
- Destination
- BFM · Mobile, AL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- A09 · Perry County, runway 16, 3,000 × 80 ft
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
- 24
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,329 total · 65 in this make and model · 1,224 as pilot in command · 358 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 60° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CKL, 24 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.