Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Littlefield, Texas 79339
Thursday, June 20, 1996 8:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he made one pass over the field he intended to spray. When he lined up to make the second pass, the 'engine shook fiercely and locked down.' A forced landing was performed to the field. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted a terrace and became airborne. The airplane landed again a 'short distance away and came to a stop.' During the impact with the terrace, the landing gear separated from the aircraft and the fuselage sustained structural damage. Postcrash examination of the engine by the operator revealed that the loss of engine power was attributed to the failure of the number 5 and 6 connecting rods which had penetrated the engine case.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The total loss of engine power due to the failure of the number 5 and 6 connecting rods. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/20/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LITTLEFIELD
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79339
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 6
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 956 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID LBB
Elevation of weather observation facility 3281
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1002
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 20 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1602
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N57836
NTSB Number FTW96LA264
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
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-36-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-36-300
Aircraft Serial Number 36-7760008
Certified Max Gross Weight 3900
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS C. BROWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 203 E. 23RD ST
Aircraft Owner City LITTLEFIELD
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79339
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 Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code Q00
Departure City
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --