Wolf River Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Collierville, Tennessee 38017
Sunday, May 10, 1987 14:52 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

IT WAS REPTD THAT THE PLT WAS TAKING HIS PAX UP FOR A LCL PHOTOGRAPHIC FLT AT THE REQ OF THE PAX. WITNESSES REPTD THAT THE ACFT REMAINED OVER THE APT FOR TWO OR THREE CIRCUITS AND THEN DEPTD THE AREA IN THE DIR OF COLLIERVILLE. WITNESSES NEAR THE CRASH SITE REPTD THAT THE ACFT WAS MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE. IT WAS THEN REPTD THAT THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO BE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE ACFT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT AND DIVE INTO A RESIDENCE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING. IN ADDITION, THE ENG PRIMER WAS FOUND UNLOCKED AND FOUR CYL HOLD DOWN STUDS FOR THE #2 CYL WERE FOUND FAILED AS A RESULT OF FATIGUE CRACKS. AN EXHAUST CRACK IN THE #2 CYL EXHAUST MANIFOLD EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF A 1/2 INCH LONG BLOWBY LEAK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/10/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1452
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City COLLIERVILLE
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38017
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WOLF RIVER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 54M
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 267
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1448 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 272
Weather Observation Facility ID MEM
Elevation of weather observation facility 332
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2100
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 --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 990
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 10 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2107
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34339
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25020
NTSB Number ATL87FA136
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model J4A
Aircraft Series Identifier J4A
Aircraft Serial Number 4-792
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 Aug 20 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 1091
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROY E. DEGAN, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2799 SCARLET RD.
Aircraft Owner City GERMANTOWN
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38138
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 54M
Departure City ROSSVILLE
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
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 Descent
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 --