On June 1, 1973, a Piper PA-61 Aerostar (Ted Smith 601) (registration N711ED) operated by Midwest Air Charter was involved in an aviation accident near Hamburg, United States of America in flight. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: An unidentified fire in the right engine caused the wing to detach from the aircraft. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A cargo aircraft crashed in an open field near Buffalo after an engine fire caused the right wing to detach during takeoff.
What happened
A cargo flight departing from Buffalo Airport for Pittsburgh experienced a catastrophic failure shortly after takeoff. During the initial climb, a fire ignited in the right-hand engine. As the blaze intensified, it spread from the engine nacelle into the structure of the right wing.
The intensity of the fire caused the right wing to separate from the aircraft. Following the structural failure, the aircraft type lost stability and entered an uncontrolled descent. The plane struck the ground in a field located in Hamburg, approximately 15.5 miles south of Buffalo Airport. The impact resulted in a large-scale fire that consumed the wreckage. There were 2 fatalities among the crew members on board.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that an unidentified fire originated within the right engine. This combustion led to the structural separation of the right wing during the flight phase.
Probable cause
An unidentified fire in the right engine caused the wing to detach from the aircraft.