Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Glenville, North Carolina, September 13, 1994
On September 13, 1994 at about 10:19 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N73AW, was destroyed in an accident near Glenville, North Carolina. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF #4 INTAKE VALVE. A FACTOR WAS HILLY TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 1994 · about 10:19 pm local time
- Place
- Glenville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N73AW · registry record · serial 7680055
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
APPROXIMATELY TWENTY MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT 8,500 FEET. THE PILOT CIRCLED THE HILLY TERRAIN AND SELECTED A FORCED LANDING AREA AFTER ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE FULL POWER FAILED. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE FORCED LANDING SITE, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES, AND CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTER IT IMPACTED THE RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE #4 INTAKE VALVE WAS FRACTURED AND STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURE FACE DISCLOSED MULTIPLE FATIGUE ORIGINS. ADDITIONALLY, THE #4 VALVE GUIDE WAS OVERSIZED BY 0.030 INCHES.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 744 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,190 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: AVL Asheville NC at 9:54 pm
- Destination: CZL Calhoun GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from AVL, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N73AW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.