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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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January 5, 1982 · Piper PA-28-161 · N8265A

Pleasant Hill, OR

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
January 5, 1982
Injury Outcomes
4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Location
Pleasant Hill, OR
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-161
Tail Number
N8265A
Operator
Thomas E Magner
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
SEA82FA015

The plane took off at 1505 PST on a local VFR pleasure flight with 4 occupants and about 48 gallons of fuel on board. The plane was estimated to be about 140 lbs over the maximum gross weight limit. At about 1622 PST, it was observed to break up in flight. Several witnesses reported the plane diving out of a cloud. Most reported hearing some type of explosive sound, and many also reported hearing a high-pitch whining/screaming/revving sound just before or after breakup. The plane was estimated to still be about 63 lbs over the maximum weight limit when it broke up. The wreckage was found scattered over an area of more than 1000 ft. The horizontal stabilators and vertical stabilizer had failed in their root areas and separated. The right stabilator had a downward spanwise camber. Both wings separated from the fuselage with the outboard 4 ft also separating. The leading edges of the right and left inboard wing sections were damaged and molded in a manner that one closely matched the other.

Full Narrative

THE PLANE TOOKOFF AT 1505 PST ON A LOCAL VFR PLEASURE FLIGHT WITH 4 OCCUPANTS AND ABOUT 48 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE PLANE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 140 LBS OVER THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT. AT ABOUT 1622 PST, IT WAS OBSERVED TO BREAK UP IN FLIGHT. SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED THE PLANE DIVING OUT OF A CLOUD. MOST REPORTED HEARING SOME TYPE OF EXPLOSIVE SOUND, AND MANY ALSO REPORTED HEARING A HIGH-PITCH WHINING/SCREAMING/REVVING SOUND JUST BEFORE OR AFTER BREAKUP. THE PLANE WAS ESTIMATED TO STILL BE ABOUT 63 LBS OVER THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT LIMIT WHEN IT BROKE UP. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND SCATTERED OVER AN AREA OF MORE THAN 1000 FT. THE HORIZONTAL STABILATORS AND VERTICAL STABILIZER HAD FAILED IN THEIR ROOT AREAS AND SEPARATED. THE RIGHT STABILATOR HAD A DOWNWARD SPANWIZE CAMBER. BOTH WINGS SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE WITH THE OUTBOARD 4 FT ALSO SEPARATING. THE LEADING EDGES OF THE RIGHT AND LEFT INBOARD WING SECTIONS WERE DAMAGED AND MOLDED IN A MANNER THAT ONE CLOSELY MATCHED THE OTHER.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:22 PST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-28-161
Tail NumberN8265A
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorThomas E Magner
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-D3G · Reciprocating · 160
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Fatal4
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total4
Crew 1Age 23 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility20 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time15:55

Appendix: Source Data