- Date
- June 21, 1989, 08:23 local (12:23 UTC)
- Place
- Lithia Springs, GA
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N83ATPiper PA-60-601P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890621016799A
- Case key
- 7900
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Inflight engine/wing fire due to a failure of the right engine's left exhaust tailpipe. The exhaust tailpipe failed in fatigue as a result of fluctuating stresses induced by a deteriorated engine mount in conjunction with unevenly distributed clamping loads caused by an improperly seated gasket.
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
Eleven minutes after departure the pilot reported smoke and a right engine problem, then said 'going down'. Right wing and engine assemblies separated in flight. Fire damage vicinity of right engine left turbocharger; tailpipe assembly had separated. Heavy smoke & heat damage between right wing forward & aft wing spars. Tailpipe had failed in fatigue near flange where attached to turbocharger exhaust port. Evidence of non-uniformly seated gasket between flanges. Also, right engine lower left engine mount deteriorated; significant portion of rubber missing. Piper sb #818 (AD87-07-09) accomplished 5/21/88; requires removal & inspection of exhaust system for cracks and reinstallation with new flange gaskets.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83AT
- Reported as
- Piper PA-60-601P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 61P0296074
- Airframe hours
- 1,454
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-S1A5, 290 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Aero Star Transport Corp
- Registered owner
- Aerostar Transport Inc.,
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 6, 1988 · 74 hours before
- Departed
- PDK · Atlanta, GA
- Destination
- MEM · Memphis, TN
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FTY, 7 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.