Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carrollton, Texas 75006
Saturday, July 25, 1992 14:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS DESCENDING THE AIRPLANE INTO THE CONTROL ZONE AND HAD RECEIVED CLEARANCE TO ENTER A RIGHT BASE FOR RUNWAY 15 WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT AFTER HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT. THE PILOT MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN AND DESCENDED OVER ONE OPEN GRASS FIELD AS HE ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO A DIRT FIELD. A FENCE AND A RAILROAD TRACK LAY BETWEEN THE FIELDS. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE FENCE, ROTATED APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES, AND DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL TO IMPACT THE TERRAIN NEAR THE RAILROAD TRACKS. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE MAIN VALVE FOR THE CARBURETOR HEAT BOX HAD FAILED AND WAS SUCKED INTO THE CARBURETOR INLET, BLOCKING AIR FLOW, AND RENDERED THE CARBURETOR INOPERATIVE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT PORTIONS OF THE VALVE ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN FAILING FOR AN UNSPECIFIED TIME PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND ITS' RETAINING SCREWS HAD NOT BEEN SECURED PROPERLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE THE FAILED CARBURETOR DE-ICE SYSTEM VALVE RESULTING IN AN INOPERATIVE CARBURETOR AND THE INADEQUATE ANNUAL INSPECTION BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/25/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CARROLLTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75006
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1537 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID ADS
Elevation of weather observation facility 700
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2607
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 25 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47332
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9240T
NTSB Number FTW92LA188
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 3878A0288
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Jun 28 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 2439
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HINCKLEY, DAVID
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4913 MIDDLETON CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City THE COLONY
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75056
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STRAMEL AVIATION INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4400 GLENN CURTISS
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75248
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 No
Departure Airport Code ADS
Departure City ADDISON
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --