Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Alamosa, Colorado 81101
Saturday, August 8, 1998 11:50 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was being ferried to its home base after both engine had received major overhauls. As the airplane approached Alamosa, the left engine lost power. Unable to restart the engine, the pilot feathered the propeller. The landing gear would only extend partially. The airplane would not maintain flying speed nor altitude and the pilot elected to make a forced landing in a cow pasture. Examination of the engine disclosed a broken coupling bolt on the right side of the turbocharger, preventing the V-band clamp from completely securing the exhaust pipe to the turbocharger, permitting hot exhaust gases to escape into the engine compartment. The turbocharger transition baffle was found partially melted and the manifold pressure line was burnt through and separated, allowing the mixture to enrichen and flood the engine. Textron Lycoming Service Bulletin 240P requires all V-band couplings and gaskets to be replaced when an engine is overhauled. The failed V-band coupling was found to be rusted and discolored, suggesting it had not been replaced. Additionally, the failed manifold pressure line used was made of rubber instead of flex stainless steel line.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Improper major overhaul of the engine by the overhaul facility. Factors were failure of the V-band clamp, the melting of the baffle and manifold clamp, and the pilot not being able to extend the landing gear.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/8/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1150 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | ALAMOSA |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 81101 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| 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 | 1152 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ALS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 7535 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 9897 |
| 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) | 1114 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 8 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1233 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 26 2001 8:06AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N27196 |
| NTSB Number | FTW98LA350 |
| 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-31-350 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-31-350 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 77-52095 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 7000 |
| 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 | 10 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 3 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 16 |
| Airframe Hours | 12931 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CAPITOL EXPRESS AIRLINES, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 613 GLYNITA CIR. |
| Aircraft Owner City | REISTERTOWN |
| Aircraft Owner State | MD |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 21136 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | AIR BRIDGE, INC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2810 PERIMETER RD., SUITE 102 |
| Operator City | NORTH LAS VEGAS |
| Operator State | NV |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 89030 |
| Operator Code | BROA |
| 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) | Ferry |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | MKC |
| Departure City | KANSAS CITY |
| Departure State | MO |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 733 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | ALS |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | CO |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 26 2001 8:06AM |
| 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 | -- |