Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bagley, Alabama 35139
Wednesday, January 18, 1989 8:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE SURVIVING PASSENGER, A PARTIAL LOSS OF PWR OCCURRED DRG FLT & THE PLT TRIED TO LAND IN A FIELD, BUT THEFIELD WAS TOO SHORT & THE ACFT HIT TREES & CRASHED. DRG AN EXAM OF THE ENG, A METAL FRAGMENT WAS FND IN THE #3 CYLINDER.EVIDENCE OF FOREIGN OBJECT DMG (PEENING) WAS FND IN THE #2 & #3 COMBUSTION CHAMBERS & ON THEIR RESPECTIVE PISTON FACES. THE RESPECTIVE SPARK PLUGS WERE DMGD TO THE POINT THAT THEIR GROUND ELECTRODES HAD BECOME DISPLACED & SHORTED TO THE CENTER ELECTRODES. A METALLURGICAL EXAM OF THE FRAGMENT REVEALED IT WAS FM A BROKEN EXHAUST VALVE; HOWEVER, EXCEPT FOR PEENING, THE VALVES WERE INTACT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ENG HAD AN EXHAUST VALVE FAILURE IN 1980 & HAD FLOWN98 HRS SINCE THEN. PIECES OF THAT VALVE WERE NOT FND & WERE ASSUMED TO HAVE BEEN 'SPIT OUT' THRU THE EXHAUST SYS. DRG ANANNUAL INSPN ON 1/12/89, AN EXHAUST VALVE FRAGMENT WAS FND IN THE ENG MUFFLER. THE OWNER WAS NOTIFIED; THE EXHAUST PIPESWERE REMOVED & INSPECTED; NO OTHER FRAGMENTS WERE FND. THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH SHOULDER HARNESSES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WHICH ALLOWED A FOREIGN OBJECT TO REMAIN IN THE ENGINE AND DAMAGE/SHORT THE SPARK PLUGS IN THE #2 AND #3 CYLINDERS. TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. IF SHOULDER HARNESSES HAD BEEN INSTALLED AND USED, INJURY(S) MAY HAVE BEEN LESS SEVERE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/18/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BAGLEY
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35139
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 1
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 910 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID BHM
Elevation of weather observation facility 644
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
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) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 888
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 18 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40400
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8456R
NTSB Number ATL89FA078
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-22358
Certified Max Gross Weight 1950
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 Jan 12 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 2318
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FOWLER, A.O.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 386 WOODSMOKE
Aircraft Owner City SOUTHAVEN
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38657
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FOWLER, ANDREW O.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 386 WOODSMOKE
Operator City SOUTHAVEN
Operator State MS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38657
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 2M6
Departure City WALLS
Departure State MS
Departure Country
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EUF
Destination City EUFAULA
Destination State AL
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 --