- Date
- January 21, 1989, 12:55 local (17:55 UTC)
- Place
- Brighton, MI
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3536MPiper PA-28R-201
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890121001019A
- Case key
- 14175
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
Installation of an improper oil drain valve by other maintenance personnel and their failure to follow the applicable airworthiness directive (AD 81-11-02/R1), resulting in subsequent interference between the landing gear and oil drain valve. This caused the valve to move open & leak, which resulted in the loss of all engine oil.
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 plt was on a x-country flt when he noticed the oil pressure was decreasing rapidly. He elected to make an off-airport landing, but the engine seized before he could reach the selected area. Subsequently, the aircraft was damaged during a wheels up landing. Initial touchdown was on a gravel road and the acft hit a berm before slowing to a stop. An exam of the aircraft and engine revealed an oil (quick) drain valve (aeroquip pn: AE80664H) had been installed on 7/10/87. It was installed with a 4-3/8 inch hose that extended below the engine reservoir, in the vicinity of the landing gear. Subsequently, the drain valve was pushed open by movement of the landing gear as it was being retracted. This resulted in loss of oil & subsequent engine seizure. This drain valve was not approved for installation on this model of aircraft. Piper service letter 910 & AD 81-11-02/R1 specified use of another valve (Piper pn: 492-172V).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3536M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28R-201
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R7837121
- Airframe hours
- 1,333
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1C6, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David J. Schwartz
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 2, 1988 · 119 hours before
- Departed
- PTK · Pontiac, MI
- Destination
- JXN · Jackson, MI
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
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 674 total · 268 in this make and model · 569 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 19 °F, dew point 3 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAN, 38 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.