Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Glenville, North Carolina 28736
Tuesady, September 13, 1994 18:19 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF #4 INTAKE VALVE. A FACTOR WAS HILLY TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/13/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1819
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GLENVILLE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28736
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 85
Weather Observation Facility ID AVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 2165
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6750
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1680
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 13 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73AW
NTSB Number ATL94FA171
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-300
Aircraft Serial Number 7680055
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 15 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3190
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name QUALITY SURFACES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 210 MCCONNEL ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CALHOUN
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30701
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AVL
Departure City ASHEVILLE
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1754
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CZL
Destination City CALHOUN
Destination State GA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --