# NTSB ATL97LA084: Piper PA-28-180, N7581W, Columbus, MS, June 5, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 5, 1997, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Columbus, MS - Location: 33.3931° N, 88.3762° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from COLUMBUS-LOWNDES COUNTY (UBS), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3931&lon=-88.3762&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 15, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 3857 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL97LA084 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3857/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA084 ## Probable cause inadequate maintenance/inspection and subsequent corrosion of the air filter, which resulted in pieces of the air filter to block the intake to the carburetor and result in loss of engine power. A factor relating to the accident was: failure of maintenance personnel to comply with a manufacturer's Service Bulletin. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, cruise - normal - maintenance,inspection - inadequate, other maintenance personnel (cause) - induction air control,air filter/screen - corroded (cause) - maintenance,service bulletin/letter - not complied with, other maintenance personnel (contributing factor) - ram/induction air - blocked(total) (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - crop (contributing factor) ## Analysis While en route back to the departure airport, after a series of maneuvers, the engine sputtered, then lost power. All attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a cornfield. Later a mechanic determined that the engine air filter was corroded, which allowed pieces of aluminum to 'flake off' and be ingested into the carburetor. There was evidence that these pieces blocked the carburetor air intake, causing air starvation in the engine. Piper Service Bulletin, Number 975, was issued which recommended maintenance or replacement of a seal around the landing light. Cracking of this seal could allowed standing water to corrode the air filter. The service bulletin was not complied with. ## Factual narrative On June 5, 1997, at 1430 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N7581W, collapsed the nose gear during a forced landing, resulting from a loss of engine power during cruise, near Columbus, Mississippi. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 and visual flight rules. The prevailing weather was visual meteorological conditions. The airplane incurred substantial damage. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The personal flight originated in Columbus, Mississippi at 1415. The pilot and his pilot-rated passenger were on a pre-purchase flight to determine the condition of the airplane. While cruising, the pilot allowed the pilot-rated passenger to execute some maneuvers, including steep turns. After maneuvering, the pilot reestablished control of the airplane and turned to fly back to the departure airport. While enroute, the engine sputtered and then quit. After several attempts to restart the engine, the pilot established an approach to a nearby drag strip. The airplane collided with the ground short of the drag strip. Examination of the engine by an airframe and powerplant mechanic showed that the air filter retaining piece was corroded. This corrosion allowed a thin slice of aluminum to become "flaked off" of the retaining piece. This piece was not located. A similar piece of aluminum, approximately 2" square was easily pulled off. In a Service Bulletin, number 975, Piper Aircraft Corporation states, "Over time, the seal between the landing light and the landing light retainer will become hard and brittle. If the seal is not replaced regularly, subsequent maintenance in this area may loosen or break the aged seal resulting in the possibility of pieces becoming ingested into the carburetor." This Service Bulletin recommends close inspection or replacement of the seal during the next annual inspection. Since the landing light is housed within the air filter assembly, this service bulletin affects both the landing light seal and the air filter assembly. A cracked landing light seal may either be ingested into the carburetor or allow water to filter through the seal assembly. If water was to filter through the seal and remain trapped within the air filter, it would speed up the process of corrosion. The Service Bulletin was issued November 2, 1994. The aircraft's last inspection, an annual, was March 1, 1997. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7581W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7581W), registered now, S/N 28-1523, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-1523 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Rex Kilpatrick - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 1997, 32 hours before - Departed: UBS, MS - Airport: UBS, Columbus-Lowndes County, runway 18, 4,500 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 153 total, 4 in this make and model, 130 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 7 knots - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,900 ft broken - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: CBM, 10 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19970605013739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970605013739A), Jun 5, 1997: Piper PA28180, Columbus, MS, Substantial damage. Prepurchase demo flight. Lost power landed short ag strip. Seal on landing light on filter flaked off blocked carb. (-23) on 06/06/97 this office did an on… ## Other investigations on N7581W (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB NYC67D0321](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC67D0321), Oct 23, 1966: Piper PA-28 (N7581W), Milford, NH, substantial damage From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.