Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Medicine Bow, Wyoming 82329
Saturday, December 10, 1994 11:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CRUISING AT 11,500 FEET MSL, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. BEING UNABLE TO REGAIN POWER, THE PILOT ELECTED TO ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING NEAR MEDICINE BOW, WYOMING. THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SUCCESSFUL, BUT THE NOSE GEAR AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON THE ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN. LATER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT BOTH MAGNETO COILS HAD SHORTED TO THE MAGNETO HOUSING. ONE COIL HAD BURNED THROUGH ITS INSULATION, AND THE OTHER SHOWED SIGNS OF ARCING THROUGH A NUMBER OF CRACKS IN ITS INSULATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE MAGNETO SYSTEM DUE TO SHORTING OF BOTH MAGNETO COILS TO THE MAGNETO HOUSING AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/10/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MEDICINE BOW
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82329
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 12
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 70
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 30
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1915
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 10 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4300V
NTSB Number SEA95LA028
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-236
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-236
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8311016
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 19 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR WEST FLYING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7625 SOUTH PEORIA
Aircraft Owner City ENGLEWOOD
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80112
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SHR
Departure City SHERIDAN
Departure State WY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BJC
Destination City BROOMFIELD
Destination State CO
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 --