Piper PA-28-140 accident near Bagley, Alabama, January 18, 1989
On January 18, 1989 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N8456R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bagley, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WHICH ALLOWED A FOREIGN OBJECT TO REMAIN IN THE ENGINE AND DAMAGE/SHORT THE SPARK PLUGS IN THE #2 AND #3 CYLINDERS. TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. IF SHOULDER HARNESSES HAD BEEN INSTALLED AND USED, INJURY(S) MAY HAVE BEEN LESS SEVERE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 1989 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bagley, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N8456R · no longer on the register · serial 28-22358
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE SURVIVING PASSENGER, A PARTIAL LOSS OF PWR OCCURRED DRG FLT & THE PLT TRIED TO LAND IN A FIELD, BUT THEFIELD WAS TOO SHORT & THE ACFT HIT TREES & CRASHED. DRG AN EXAM OF THE ENG, A METAL FRAGMENT WAS FND IN THE #3 CYLINDER.EVIDENCE OF FOREIGN OBJECT DMG (PEENING) WAS FND IN THE #2 & #3 COMBUSTION CHAMBERS & ON THEIR RESPECTIVE PISTON FACES. THE RESPECTIVE SPARK PLUGS WERE DMGD TO THE POINT THAT THEIR GROUND ELECTRODES HAD BECOME DISPLACED & SHORTED TO THE CENTER ELECTRODES. A METALLURGICAL EXAM OF THE FRAGMENT REVEALED IT WAS FM A BROKEN EXHAUST VALVE; HOWEVER, EXCEPT FOR PEENING, THE VALVES WERE INTACT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ENG HAD AN EXHAUST VALVE FAILURE IN 1980 & HAD FLOWN98 HRS SINCE THEN. PIECES OF THAT VALVE WERE NOT FND & WERE ASSUMED TO HAVE BEEN 'SPIT OUT' THRU THE EXHAUST SYS. DRG ANANNUAL INSPN ON 1/12/89, AN EXHAUST VALVE FRAGMENT WAS FND IN THE ENG MUFFLER. THE OWNER WAS NOTIFIED; THE EXHAUST PIPESWERE REMOVED & INSPECTED; NO OTHER FRAGMENTS WERE FND. THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH SHOULDER HARNESSES.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 209 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 166 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,318 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 1989; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2M6 Walls MS at 1:00 pm
- Destination: EUF Eufaula AL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:10 pm from BHM, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.