Piper PA-60-602P accident near Frenchtown, New Jersey, December 21, 1989
On December 21, 1989 at about 3:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-602P, registered N6894Y, was destroyed in an accident near Frenchtown, New Jersey. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF THE TURBOCHARGER TAILPIPE EXHAUST STACK ON THE RIGHT ENGINE BY THE MECHANIC(S). THE FAILURE OF THE TAILPIPE PERMITTED HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST TO WEAKEN THE MAIN SPAR OF THE RIGHT WING RESULTING IN A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 1989 · about 3:35 pm local time
- Place
- Frenchtown, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-602P · all PA-60-602Ps on the register
- Registration
- N6894Y · no longer on the register · serial 62P0909816
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON JANUARY 16, 1989, MACHEN NACELLE MOUNTED INDUCTION AIR INTERCOOLERS WERE INSTALLED ON N6894Y. ON DECEMBER 14, 1989, AN ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED, AND A MACHEN SUPERSTAR I-680 KIT WAS INSTALLED. ON DECEMBER 21, 1989, N6894Y WAS AT 6000 FEET WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED A PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE PILOT REPORTED A FIRE IN THE RIGHT ENGINE. A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER, HE RADIOED HE COULD NOT SHUT DOWN THE RIGHT ENGINE. AT 1034:37 THE PILOT ADVISED HIS 'RIGHT ENGINE JUST TORE OFF' AND THAT HE WAS 'IN A SPIN HEADING DOWN.' THE EXHAUST TAILPIPE OF THE LEFT TURBOCHARGER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS FOUND TO HAVE SEPARATED. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE TAILPIPE FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE CRACKING. RECORDS SHOWED THAT PART I OF PIPER SERVICE BULLETIN 920 (ENGINE TAILPIPE INSPECTION) HAD BEEN COMPLETED, WHILE PART II (ADDITION OF FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM) HAD NOT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED DUE TO THE LACK OF AVAILABLE KITS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,061 hours in all; 312 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 3:15 pm
- Destination: RDG Reading PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:40 pm from ABE, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.