MINOT, ND, USA
N5295H
PIPER PA-16
AS THE PLT TURNED ON FINAL APCH TO LND, HE HEARD A 'THUD,' THEN THE ACFT ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED LEFT TURN. AFTER TURNING ABOUT 360 DEG, IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING LOW, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FAILUREOF THE AIRFRAME TUBING AT THE LOWER FORWARD DOOR FRAME. THE FAILURE WAS IN THE AREA OF A CONGLOMERATE WELD WHERE THE TUBING WAS PART OF THE DOOR FRAME, FIRE WALL/ENGINE MOUNT, & RIGHT FORWARD LIFT STRUT SUPPORT. AN EXAM REVEALED THE TUBING HAD SEPARATED PRIOR TO IMPACT. APRX 3/4 OF THE FRACTURE WAS THE RESULT OF CORROSION; THE REMAINING FRACTURE WAS FROM OVERLOAD, BUT NOT DUE TO IMPACT. WITH THIS FAILURE, THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING WOULD TWIST UPWARD & THE ENGINE (WITH POWER) WOULD MOVE UP & TO THE LEFT. PIPER SERVICE BULLETING #819, SUBJECT: FUSELAGE DOOR FRAME TUBE CORROSION, DATED 2/28/86, ADDRESSED THE HAZARD OF CORROSION IN THIS AREA.
FAILURE OF THE AIRFRAME TUBING (LONGERON) AT THE LOWER FORWARD DOOR FRAME DUE TO CORROSION. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS FAILURE OF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO COMPLY WITH SERVICE BULLETIN #819.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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