Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wichita Falls, Texas 76304
Saturday, January 13, 1996 11:53 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Following takeoff, the pilot reported to the tower that he needed to return to land due to the loss of power to the right engine. The airplane was observed by witnesses to be in a pronounced right yaw/out of trim attitude as soon as the airplane became airborne. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the rudder trim was in the 50% nose right position. The pilot had made a precautionary landing at that airport the night before due to a reported partial loss of power on the left engine. Maintenance personnel found and repaired the source of the power loss. The pilot told the mechanics that both engines were beyond TBO and he was concerned about the reliability of the engines. Teardown and examination of both engines and turbochargers did not reveal any anomalies that would have prevented normal engine operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadvertent stall by the pilot in command. Factors were the impeded airplane takeoff performance, the rudder trim not corrected by the pilot, and the pilot's failure to comply with the checklist.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/13/1996
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1153
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City WICHITA FALLS
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76304
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 1
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1100 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID SPS
Elevation of weather observation facility 1015
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 721
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 13 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:46AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8894E
NTSB Number FTW96FA088
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-34-200T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200T
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7670186
Certified Max Gross Weight 4570
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 10 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 4939
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRED G. WRIGHT JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4805 86TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City LUBBOCK
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79424
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 SPS
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1152
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LBB
Destination City LUBBOCK
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 --