- Date
- December 6, 1987, 14:43 local (19:43 UTC)
- Place
- Lagrange, GA
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5587JPiper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 22, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19871206070759A
- Case key
- 7570
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
Plt lost power in cruise, in day, VMC. Made apch to interstate hwy I85. Hit overpass support column at 15 feet AGL. Engine overhauled 51 hours before accident. Overhaul records indicated magneto repair. Annual insp records indicated compliance with AD 78-09-07, regarding magneto. Postcrash evidence indicated inadequate overhaul, carburetor and magneto not overhauled. Mechanic had lenghty history of violations by FAA for improper repairs. Postcrash testing showed left mag firing intermittently & carb throttle valve seals leaking, inducing a lean mixture. Carb accelerator pump weak. Engine hesitated when throttle jammed during postcrash engine run. PIC got pvt certificate 9/73.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5587J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-1047
- Airframe hours
- 4,325
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joe Chao/ John Goff Assoc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 17, 1987 · 122 hours before
- Departed
- PIM · Pine Mountain, GA
- Destination
- 47A · Canton, GA
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 150 total · 16 in this make and model · 100 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CSH, 32 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.
Other investigations on N5587J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.