- Date
- April 6, 1995, 17:16 local (21:16 UTC)
- Place
- Jeannette, PA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6539JPiper PA-28-180D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950406047749A
- Case key
- 9039
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
the failure of the magneto pinion gear failure, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during initial climbout over usuitable terrain.
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
The CFI reported that during take off climb, at an altitude of approximately 150 feet above the ground, the airplane's engine lost total power. During the emergency descent the airplane collided with trees. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed its right magneto's pinion gear had failed resulting in a total failure of the magneto.
Factual narrative
On April 6, 1995, about 1716 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA- 28-180, N6539J, lost total engine power during initial climb out from runway 20 at the Pittsburgh-Boquet Airpark in Jeanette, Pennsylvania. The airplane was destroyed when it collided with trees during the emergency descent. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) received minor injuries and the one passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, no flight plan was filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The CFI reported that he was practicing takeoffs and landings at the Pittsburgh-Boquet Airpark. He stated that during initial climb after the second takeoff, at 150 feet above the ground, the airplane's engine lost total power. The pilot stated that he made a forced landing into trees with "...A Nose High Attitude Above Treetops To Cushion The Impact." The airplane collided with trees and came to rest upside down.
Postaccident examination of the airplane's engine revealed its right magneto did not function. The magneto was dismantled and its internal components examined. Examination of the components revealed teeth on the nylon pinion gear had failed. The failure modes of the teeth were not determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6539J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-4981
- Airframe hours
- 3,603
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- King, Richard H.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 27, 1994 · 64 hours before
- Airport
- 5G8 · Pittsburgh-Boquet Airpark, runway 20, 2,605 × 50 ft, asphalt
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
- 58
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,918 total · 515 in this make and model · 3,069 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 18 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PIT
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.