N.W. Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Roanoke, Texas 76262
Sunday, February 4, 1990 18:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AFTER THE PILOT STALLED IT AND LOST CONTROL DURING A PRECUATIONARY LANDING FOLLOWING A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE #4 EXHAUST VALVE. INITIALLY THE PILOT WAS GOING TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT A NEARBY AIRPORT, HOWEVER, WHEN HE TURNED FINAL HE SAW THAT HE HAD OPPOSING TRAFFIC. HE TURNED AWAY FROM THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE AND ENCOUNTERED HIGH TENSION LINES THAT HE COULD NOT CLEAR. THE PILOT THEN TURNED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. DURING THE SECOND TURN, THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. DUE TO SMEARING OF THE FRACTURE SURFACES THE ORIGIN OF THE FAILURE OF THE VALVE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PARTIAL POWER LOSS DUE TO A FAILED EXHAUST VALVE AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE SPEED DURING THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING APPROACH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/4/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ROANOKE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76262
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport N.W. REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 52F
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 1750 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID DFW
Elevation of weather observation facility 550
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 360
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 4 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41295
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N33052
NTSB Number FTW90LA064
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7525145
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 8 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 61
Airframe Hours 2157
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KENNETH W. VANDERFORD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1337 TEN BAR TRAIL
Aircraft Owner City SOUTH LAKE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76092
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 23F
Departure City KELLER
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1720
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 23F
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 17
Runway Length 3500
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --