FTW83FA252

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-60 · New Orleans, LA · May 30, 1983

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
May 30, 1983, 10:04 local (15:04 UTC)
Place
New Orleans, LA
Injuries
1 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N52ACPiper PA-60
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19830530075799A
Case key
20728

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.

Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malfApproach - vfr pattern - final approach
Lubricating system,oil hose - deterioratedFactor
Maintenance,inspection - inadequateOther maintenance personnelFactor
Lubricating system,oil hose - life expiredFactor
Maintenance,replacement - not performedOther maintenance personnelFactor
Lubricating system,oil hose - failure,totalFactor
Fluid,oil - loss,totalFactor
Loss of control - in flightApproach
Airspeed(vmc) - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

Witnesses reported that when the acft was stabilized on final apch, it pitched up slightly & yawed, then rolled left to an inverted attitude & crashed in a canal. Several witnesses stated that the left prop was windmilling. One stated the left prop had stopped. Two others said smoke was trailing from the acft. One witness stated that after the acft passed over his car, a fine mist of oil fell on his windshield. When the acft was recovered from the canal, the left prop was found in the feathered position while the right prop was near its low pitch stops. The left prop dome was found depleted of air pressure & no oil was found in the left eng case. Also, an oil film was found on the bottom of the left eng, left flap & left stabilizer. A further exam revealed that an oil interconnect line, Piper pn: 920024-811, had failed inside its fire proof covering. The hose was 8 yrs old, its recomended replacement interval was 5 yrs. It hadbeen installed with a small bend radius. Also, the left eng had evidence of heat & wear due to lack of oil.

Aircraft

Registration
N52AC
Reported as
Piper PA-60
Category
Airplane
Serial number
61-0019
Airframe hours
2,809
Engine
Lycoming IO-540-P1A5, 290 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Haller Airconditioning Maint.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · December 15, 1982 · 11 hours before
Departed
M507 · Diamond Head, MS
Airport
NEW · Lakefront, runway 36L, 5,800 × 150 ft, macadam

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
56
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
280° at 3 knots
Visibility
7 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Observed at
NEW

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.