Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Benito, Texas 78586
Thursday, October 6, 1988 9:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER & THE PILOT TRIED TO GLIDE THE AIRPLANE TO AN AIRPORT, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE SELECTED A FIELD FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING; HOWEVER, DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED ROUGH TERRAIN & WAS DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A FUEL LINE HAD SEPARATED AT THE FIRE WALL, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER TORQUING OF THE 'B' NUT FITTING ON THE MAIN FUEL SUPPLY LINE TO THE POWERPLANT AT THE FIREWALL AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/6/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 915
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SAN BENITO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78586
Event Date Year 1988
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 T66
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2264
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 6 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40076
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3S
NTSB Number FTW89DRG01
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 SHAMGAUGH
Aircraft Model PITTS SPECIAL
Aircraft Series Identifier PITTS SPEC
Aircraft Serial Number 200
Certified Max Gross Weight 644
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 29 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 502
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SHELTON PRUDHOMME
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 3, BOX 441
Aircraft Owner City HARLINGEN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78552
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code T66
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 845
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 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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --