Statesville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Statesville, North Carolina 28677
Saturday, July 15, 1995 10:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE AIRCRAFT CLIMB PERFORMANCE WAS LESS THAN NORMAL. THE PILOT ADDED 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS, BUT THE ENGINE WAS LOSING POWER. THE PILOT ADDED A SECOND 'NOTCH' OF FLAPS, 25 DEGREES, BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE RPMS DROPPED TO ZERO, AND THE ENGINE QUIT. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO A WOODED AREA, AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT RUN UP AND TAKEOFF ROLL WERE NORMAL. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A CRACK IN CYLINDER NUMBER FOUR, BETWEEN THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A CRACKED CYLINDER THAT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1040
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City STATESVILLE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28677
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STATESVILLE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SVH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 280
Airport Elevation 965
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID HKY
Elevation of weather observation facility 1450
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 514
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 15 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1155
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9908W
NTSB Number ATL95LA135
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 2823428
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Jan 13 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 203
Airframe Hours 3181
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEPHEN R. BURWELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 450 NANTUCKET APT D
Aircraft Owner City VERMILION
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44089
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code SVH
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1035
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PKB
Destination City PARKERSBURG
Destination State WV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
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 28
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --