Andrau Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77411
Friday, October 16, 1987 8:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT DEVELOPED A FIRE IN THE ENG AREA DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER THE PLT ATTEMPTED A LNDG IN A SMALL PARK. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN JUST SHORT OF A DRAINAGE DITCH AND COLLIDED WITH THE SLOPING EMBANKMENT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE DITCH. POST ACC INSPECTION REVEALED A FAILED EXHAUST SYSTEM WHICH ALLOWED HOT EXHAUST GASES TO START A FIRE. THE EXHAUST PIPE FAILED FROM EXTENSIVE CORROSION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/16/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77411
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ANDRAU
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AAP
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 752 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 47
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
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) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2191
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 16 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35668
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3903W
NTSB Number FTW88FA007
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 In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-260
Aircraft Serial Number 32849
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 19 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5147
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LAINE, DONALD J., JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1015 SOUTH RIPPLE CREEK
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77057
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DONALD J. LAINE, JR.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1015 SOUTH RIPPLE CREEK #6
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77057
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code AAP
Departure City HOUSTON
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 843
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code T03
Destination City GENOA
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --