Eldon Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eldon, Missouri 65026
Tuesady, June 21, 1988 16:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A BUSINESS, CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PRIVATE PILOT SAID THAT HE HEARD A POPPING NOISE FOLLOWED BY OIL APPEARING ON THE WINDSHEILD. SHORTLY AFTER THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER, THEN QUIT. AN EMERGENCY LDG WAS ATTEMPTED ON AN AIRPORT, BUT THE ACFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, STRUCK A FENCE AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE ACFT CAME TO REST ABOUT 25 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A BROKEN ENGINE OIL LINE WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE OIL AND SUBSEQUENT TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

TOTAL FAILURE OF THE POWERPLANT DUE TO AN OIL LINE RUPTURE, AND PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT NOT ATTAINED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/21/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ELDON
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65026
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ELDON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID H79
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 910
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1545 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID JEF
Elevation of weather observation facility 549
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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) 2461
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 21 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39622
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4490T
NTSB Number MKC88LA114
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-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7235071
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
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 May 4 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 2526
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL W. SERFASS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7 WINSTONE LANE
Aircraft Owner City BELLA VISTA
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72714
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code JEF
Departure City JEFFERSON CITY
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code H00
Destination City BENTONVILLE
Destination State AR
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 18
Runway Length 3195
Runway Width 45
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --