1990-07-09: Piper PA-32RT-300T — Kenneth R. Rose — Prineville, OR

Casualties unknown • Prineville, OR, US

Probable cause

THE FAILURE OF THE LEFT INTERMEDIATE EXHAUST PIPE, IN-FLIGHT ENGINE FIRE AND SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT, RESULTING IN IMPAIRMENT OF THE PILOT AND HIS SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL.

— NTSB Determination

Accident narrative

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT MANEUVERING AT A LOW ALTITUDE, TRAILING WHITE SMOKE, WITH ROUGH ERRATIC ENGINE SOUNDS. A PVT PILOT REPORTED THE ACFT WAS FILLED WITH WHITE SMOKE. THE ACFT MADE A STEEP TURN, PITCHED NOSE UP, ROLLED INVERTED, AND DESCENDED NOSE DOWN TO IMPACT. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED A FRACTURED COUPLING FLANGE ON THE LEFT INTERMEDIATE EXHAUST PIPE. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURED FLANGE REVEALED MULTIPLE ORIGIN FATIGUE FAILURE.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1990-07-09 Piper PA-32RT-300T accident near Prineville, OR?

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT MANEUVERING AT A LOW ALTITUDE, TRAILING WHITE SMOKE, WITH ROUGH ERRATIC ENGINE SOUNDS. A PVT PILOT REPORTED THE ACFT WAS FILLED WITH WHITE SMOKE. THE ACFT MADE A STEEP TURN, PITCHED NOSE UP, ROLLED INVERTED, AND DESCENDED NOSE DOWN TO IMPACT. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED A…

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1990-07-09 involved a Piper PA-32RT-300T, registration N30511, operated by Kenneth R. Rose, at Prineville, OR.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

THE FAILURE OF THE LEFT INTERMEDIATE EXHAUST PIPE, IN-FLIGHT ENGINE FIRE AND SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT, RESULTING IN IMPAIRMENT OF THE PILOT AND HIS SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001212X23818. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.

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