- Date
- February 23, 1989, 16:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mount Vernon, TX
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N494CBPiper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890223002429A
- Case key
- 22761
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
Inadequate maintenance and inspection of the airplane by the mechanics who rebuilt the airplane, in that they failed to detect and/or correct the corroded lift strut which resulted in wing failure.
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 owner/pilot was conducting a demonstration flight with a potential buyer. Immediately after takeoff, witnesses at the airport observed the aircraft's right wing fold rearward and the aircraft descend uncontrolled. The right wing forward lift strut had separated from the lower fuselage attachment clevis bolt. Metallurgical examination of the lift strut's threaded barrel revealed that the bottom 1-1/4 inch was missing most of its threaded crowns; area covered with corrosion residues. Top 3/4 inch threads partially deteriorated by corrosion. Entire length of bolt hole dry; lacked linseed oil coating. Other struts threaded holes wet. Aircraft had been rebuilt by a&e and a&i mechanics; annual signed off day before accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N494CB
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18185
- Airframe hours
- 2,010
- Engine
- Continental C-85-8F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Craig R. Bliss
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 22, 1989 · 5 hours before
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 100 in this make and model · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.