Piper PA28 N9376W accident near Hillsboro, Ohio

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane due to an in-flight fire as a result of a corrosion hole in the muffler that was not identified by the mechanic. Contributing to the accident was the improper emergency procedure performed for an in-flight fire.

NTSB analysis

The airplane had undergone five previous annual inspections performed by a mechanic where the airplane was based. The airplane departed its base airport to Hillsboro, Ohio, where the airplane's autopilot was worked on by an avionics repair station. After the repair had been done, both pilots departed Hillsboro, but returned after noticing smoke in the cockpit. A check of the cockpit and autopilot by an avionics technician did not reveal any discrepancies associated with those areas. The airplane then again departed Hillsboro. Witnesses reported that after takeoff there was smoke observed coming from the front of the airplane. The witnesses then saw the airplane bank left, descend, strike a tree with its left wing, and then impact in a fallow corn field about 1/2 mile south of the airport. An examination of the airplane's fuel selector showed that it was still in the "on" position. The flaps were in the fully retracted position, which was not consistent with the airplane manufacturer's fire and emergency landing procedures. An examination of the airplane revealed a hole in the muffler, which also exhibited a loss of material due to internal corrosion. The severity of the corrosion also suggests that the hole in the muffler should have been evident at earlier annual inspections.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CHI08FA146 for the full record.