Real County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Leakey, Texas 78873
Tuesady, March 31, 1987 12:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT FLYING PIPER PA-28-140 DEPARTED UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT AFTER SWITCHING FUEL TANKS ON RUNWAY. FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS INADVERTENTLY MOVED TO OFF POSITION BY STUDENT PILOT. AIRCRAFT ENGINE QUIT ON INITIAL CLIMB AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FT AGL. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED APPROXIMATELY .5 MILES FROM AIRPORT. FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SERIOUSLY INJURED, STUDENT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. PIPER SERVICE BULLETIN #840 NOT COMPLIED WITH. SB #840 PROVIDES FOR NEW FUEL SELECTOR VALVE COVER ASSEMBLY AND MATING HANDLE TO REDUCE POSSIBILITY OF FUEL MISMANAGEMENT THROUGH INADVERTENT SELECTION OF THE OFF POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/31/1987
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City LEAKEY
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78873
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport REAL COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 49R
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 265
Weather Observation Facility ID SAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 690
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 112
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
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) 2474
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 181
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 31 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33140
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4602R
NTSB Number FTW87FA087
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 28-21350
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 2 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 3450
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JIMMY A. WILSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 351
Aircraft Owner City LEAKEY
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78873
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 10:30AM
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 --