Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Pierce, Florida 34946
Sunday, October 25, 1992 10:22 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED AN ENGINE FAILURE AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A CANAL. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FUEL SERVO REVEALED CONTAMINATION BY FERROUS METAL PARTICLES ON THE FUEL AND AIR SIDE OF THE SERVO DIAPHRAGM PREVENTING PROPER OPERATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN ENGINE FAILURE OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS FUEL CONTAMINATION BY FERROUS METAL PARTICLES THAT PREVENTED THE FUEL SERVO FROM OPERATING PROPERLY. THE ORIGIN OF THE CONTAMINATION IS UNKNOWN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/25/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1022
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FORT PIERCE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34946
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
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 1033 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID FPR
Elevation of weather observation facility 24
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
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) 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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 652
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 25 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48049
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N38800
NTSB Number MIA93LA012
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 7840001
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4239
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MEREDITH, LARRY
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 50
Aircraft Owner City OSKALOUSA
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53577
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MEREDITH, LARRY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 50
Operator City OSKALOUSA
Operator State IA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 52577
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 MYER
Departure City ROCK SOUND
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 --