Kenai Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kenai, Alaska 99611
Wednesday, December 23, 1987 6:11 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD JUST DEPARTED THE RUNWAY WHEN HE REPORTED TO THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION THAT HE HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES TO BE ABOUT 300 FT ON A DESCENDING DOWNWIND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS CIRCLING FOR RUNWAY ONE. SURVIVING PASSENGERS DESCRIBED THE ENGINES AS RUNNING ROUGH AND UNEVEN. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S WEIGHT WAS MORE THAN THE PILOT HAD CALCULATED AND THE C.G. WAS 3.4 INCHES FURTHER AFT THAN WAS CALCULATED. HOWEVER, THE WEIGHT AND C.G. WERE WITHIN LIMITS.EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE HAD AN EXTENSIVE CYLINDER HEAD CRACK, A PARTIALLY DISCONNECTED INTAKE PIPE, AND WAS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 55% OF RATED POWER. THE LEFT ENGINE HAD SEVEN SEVERLY WORN CAM LOBES. THE RUDDER TRIM WAS DEFLECTED FULL LEFT AT IMPACT. THE EVIDENCEINDICATED THAT THE PILOT HAD RETARDED THE THROTTLE FOR THE LEFT ENGINE AND WAS USING ONLY THE RIGHT ENGINE TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT. EXAM OF COMPANY CHECKLIST USAGE REVEALED SEVERAL DIFFERENT IMPROPER VERSIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/23/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 611
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City KENAI
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99611
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KENAI MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EMA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 250
Airport Elevation 92
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 600 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID ENA
Elevation of weather observation facility 92
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 200
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 2
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 6
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 10
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2618
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 23 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38154
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N496SC
NTSB Number DCA88MA011
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350
Aircraft Serial Number 31.7752077
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000
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 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Dec 16 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTH CENTRAL AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 135 GRANITE POINT CT.
Aircraft Owner City KENAI
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99611
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 XE
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
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 --
Destination Airport Code ANC
Destination City ANCHORAGE
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 1
Runway Length 7600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --