Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sanford, North Carolina 27330
Friday, October 4, 1991 14:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY. HE HAD NO SUITABLE LANDING AREA IN FRONT OF HIM, AND HE ELECTED TO ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE TURN, THE ENGINE STOPPED, AND HE WAS FORCED TO EXECUTE AN EMERGENCY LANDING INTO A WOODED AREA. HE HAD ATTEMPTED THE FLIGHT EARLIER IN THE DAY, AND HAD TO RETURN DUE TO A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL PERFORMED MAINTENANCE ON THE ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM AND THE PROBLEM WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN CORRECTED. EXAMINATION AND TEST RUN OF THE ENGINE AND EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY FAA PERSONNEL DID NOT REVEAL ANY MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNKNOWN REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/4/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1440
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SANFORD
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27330
Event Date Year 1991
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1346 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID FAY
Elevation of weather observation facility 430
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1882
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45821
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:47AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8839P
NTSB Number ATL92LA002
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-260
Aircraft Serial Number 24-4294
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 3 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 3936
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WHITEHEAD, JEFFERSON D
Aircraft Owner Street Address 195 CREST RD.
Aircraft Owner City SOUTHERN PINES
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28387
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WHITEHEAD, JEFFERSON D
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 195 CREST RD.
Operator City SOUTHERN PINES
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28387
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1415
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 55J
Destination City FERNANDINA
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --