Felts Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spokane, Washington 99211
Saturday, April 10, 1993 14:55 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE INITIAL CLIMBOUT THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT TO LAND DUE TO BUILDINGS AND POWER LINES IN HIS CLIMBOUT FLIGHT PATH. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT 'DUE TO THE TIGHTNESS OF THE TURN TO MISS AN AIRPORT BUILDING THE AIRPLANE LOST SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED AND STALLED.' SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE SEAT HAD FAILED AND NO COMPRESSION COULD BE ACHIEVED FROM THE CYLINDER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE SEAT AND THE INADVERTENT STALLING OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE BUILDINGS AND POWER LINES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/10/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1455
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SPOKANE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99211
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FELTS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SFF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1953
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 164
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 10 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1520
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50511
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N29553
NTSB Number SEA93LA092
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 TAYLORCRAFT
Aircraft Model BL-65
Aircraft Series Identifier BL-65
Aircraft Serial Number 2396
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 2 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 3026
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MURPHY, VAUGH E.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12104 EAST 9TH
Aircraft Owner City SPOKANE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99206
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MURPHY, VAUGH E.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 12104 EAST 9TH
Operator City SPOKANE
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99206
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1450
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Landing
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 21
Runway Length 4500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --