- Date
- March 11, 1986, 17:16 local (23:16 UTC)
- Place
- Hanceville, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N74HBPiper PA-28R-200
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860311008509A
- Case key
- 7072
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 enroute to birmingham the pilot experienced a complete power failure when no. 2 cylinder separated from the engine assembly. The pilot attempted to make an emergency landing on interstate 65 near Hanceville, AL, and the aircraftcollided with an embankment adjacent to the southbound lanes. The investigation determined that the aircraft had experienced severe engine vibrations twice within the three months prior to the accident. On both occurrences the cylinders were overhauled and the aircraft returned to service. The maintenance personnel who repaired the engine stated that he did not follow the procedures as outlined in the engine service manual. The failure to retorque and inspect the engine assembly caused the other cylinders studs to loosen and eventual no. 2 cylinder failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N74HB
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28R-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-7135080
- Airframe hours
- 3,765
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Condor Aero Services
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 5, 1986 · 61 hours before
- Departed
- Huntsville, AL
- Destination
- Birmingham, 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
- 28
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,044 total · 46 in this make and model · 1,480 as pilot in command · 330 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N74HB · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.