Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mexia, Texas 76667
Wednesday, August 12, 1987 17:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT NOTICED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT & STARTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT MEXIA, TX, WHICH WAS NEARBY. HOWEVER, DRG THE DSCNT TO LND, THE SMOKE DISSIPATED, SO HE ELECTED TO CONT TO THE DESTN. DRG THE CLIMB BACK TO ALT, SMOKE REAPPEARED & WAS FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF ENG POWER. THE PLT THEN TRIED TO MAKE A FORCED LNDG AT MEXIA; HOWEVER, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALT TO REACH THE ARPT. WHILE LNDG ABOUT 1 MI FROM THE ARPT, THE ACFT ROLLED THRU A BARBED WIRE FENCE & WAS DAMAGED. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED A RETAINING NUT WAS MISSING FROM A CLAMP NEAR 2 MATING SURFACES OF THE EXHAUSTSYS NEAR THE #6 CYLINDER. SUBSEQUENTLY, GASES FROM THE EXHAUST SYS BURNED THRU A VACUUM HOSE & EXTENSIVELY BURNED A NUMBER OF WIRES IN THE IGNITION SYS. THE ACFT HAD BEEN FLOWN 176 HRS SINCE THE LAST ENG & AIRFRAME INSPN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1720
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MEXIA
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76667
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 8
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1751 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID FTW
Elevation of weather observation facility 710
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 88
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 37
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2941
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1673
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 12 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35011
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8159S
NTSB Number FTW87FA197
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R
Aircraft Serial Number 32R8029059
Certified Max Gross Weight 6500
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 176
Airframe Hours 2172
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TEXAS PARTNERS FLYING INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9550 ELLA LANE 2155
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77063
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address HOBBY AIRPORT
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77061
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HOU
Departure City HOUSTON
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DAL
Destination City DALLAS
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:06AM
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 --