- Date
- April 23, 1991, 11:55 local (15:55 UTC)
- Place
- Newbury, MA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N35826Piper J5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910423012079A
- Case key
- 36790
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 loss of inflight control, which was the result of a jammed right aileron bellcrank assembly. Factors related to the accident were; the improper maintenance of the flight control system, and the incomplete preflight by the pilot.
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
Witnesses said that as soon as the airplane became airborne, it started a steeply banked left turn and descended into a tree and struck the ground. An examination of the flight control system revealed a broken right aileron bracket and a tear in the sheet metal aft of this bracket. A metallurgical examination revealed that this damage occurred prior to the accident. The airplane annual inspection was overdue by one month. The Piper service manual and bulletins recommended regular inspection of this bellcrank assembly. Two days prior to the accident, a friend of the pilot's and a private pilot himself, saw the right aileron of N35826 flapping up and down during a wind/rain storm. The left aileron was streamlined. Ed hatt, a restorer of J5A'S, said in his report, 'it is my opinion...that the nut...'hung' on the torn tailing edge...jamming the aileron bellcrank and causing a loss of aileron control.'
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35826
- Reported as
- Piper J5A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5-797
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Phillip G. Cummings
- Registered owner
- Phillip G. Cummings
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Airport
- Plum Airport
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
- 67
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 950 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.