Rusty Allen Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lago Vista, Texas 78645
Wednesday, September 6, 1995 11:47 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE LOST OIL PRESSURE AND DEVELOPED A VIBRATION WHILE ON AN INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLIGHT. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS AND TURNED THE AIRPLANE TO THE NEAREST AVAILABLE AIRPORT AND NOTIFIED APPROACH CONTROL OF THE SITUATION. ATC ISSUED THE AIRPLANE A HEADING AS WELL AS THE DISTANCE TO THE AIRPORT. DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE AND TREES SURROUNDING THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO ALIGN THE AIRPLANE WITH EITHER RUNWAY AT THE AIRPORT AND ELECTED TO LAND PERPENDICULAR TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN NORTH OF THE RUNWAY AND CONTINUED DOWNSLOPE, WENT THROUGH A FENCE AND CAME TO REST IN A SANDY AREA ADJACENT TO THE HANGARS. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY THE OWNER'S REPRESENTATIVE REVEALED THAT THE CONNECTING RODS FOR THE NUMBER 1 AND 2 CYLINDERS HAD FAILED FOR UNDETERMINED REASON.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE FAILURE OF A CONNECTING ROD FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1147
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LAGO VISTA
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78645
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RUSTY ALLEN AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5R3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1231
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID AUS
Elevation of weather observation facility 1100
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 677
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 6 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3726T
NTSB Number FTW95LA370
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-180
Aircraft Serial Number 30033
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 17 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 82
Airframe Hours 3958
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PERRY A. JOHNSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 294
Aircraft Owner City CHICO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76431
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 1F9
Departure City BRIDGEPORT
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AUS
Destination City AUSTIN
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 3809
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --