O'brien Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Waxahachie, Texas 75165
Saturday, September 16, 1989 19:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS, WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 2,500 MSL OVER AN AIRPARK. AFTER REDUCING POWER AND APPLYING CARBURETOR HEAT, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO EXECUTE A FORCE LANDING TO THE AIRPARK. HOWEVER, SHE OVERSHOT AND LANDED IN A WET PLOWED FIELD BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY. DURING ROLL OUT, THE GEAR DUG INTO THE SOFT TERRAIN AND THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT A PIECE OF THE #3 EXHAUST VALVE HAD SEPARATED AND HAD BEEN INGESTED. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED VALVE INDICATED THAT IT HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO HIGH TEMPERATURE OPERATION. HOWEVER, THE EXACT ORIGIN OF THE SEPARATION WAS NOT DETERMINED DUE TO MASKING OF THE FRACTURE SURFACES, ACCUMULATION OF EXHAUST DEPOSITS AND POST-SEPARATION MECHANICAL DAMAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE #3 EXHAUST VALVE DUE TO EXPOSURE TO OVERTEMPERATURE OPERATING CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/16/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1955
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WAXAHACHIE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75165
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport O'BRIEN AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID T25
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 500
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1946 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID RBD
Elevation of weather observation facility 660
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
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) 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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2094
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41587
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N738BB
NTSB Number FTW89LA165
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17269839
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Nov 18 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 69
Airframe Hours 1492
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANCES P. CASEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 2 BOX 232H
Aircraft Owner City LEONARD
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75452
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 TE06
Departure City LEONARD
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1915
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ERV
Destination City KERRVILLE
Destination State TX
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 36
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width 25
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --