Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houlton, Maine 04730
Friday, December 4, 1987 9:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION FLIGHT TO QUEBEC CITY IN CANADA AND WHILE CRUISING AT ABOUT 6500 FEET, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED AN OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATION, 43 NAUTICAL MILES NNW OF HOULTON VOR ON A 306 DEGREE HEADING. THE ENGINE THEN STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND EVENTUALLY LOST POWER. EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED AND THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON ITS BELLY ON A LOGGING ROAD. THE RIGHT WING HIT A TREE STUMP, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. INVEST REVEALED THAT #1 CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED. THE ENG SHOWED SIGNS OF HEAT DISTRESS AROUND THE #1 ROD. THE ACFT HAD OIL ON THE SIDES AND BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE. THERE WAS ALSO A HOLE IN THE TOP REAR OF THE ENG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/4/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HOULTON
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04730
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
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7500
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 24
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6010
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 7 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1110
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38169
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CGRQU
NTSB Number NYC88LA053
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28RT
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28RT
Aircraft Serial Number 28 7931263
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1497
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name B.F. DOWNEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address SUITE 1505 2170 MAINE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City OAKVILLE, ONT.
Aircraft Owner State CD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRIAN DOWNEY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address SUITE 1505-2170,MARINE DR.
Operator City OAKVILLE,ONT.
Operator State CD
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
Departure City FREDRICTON
Departure State CD
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City TORANTI
Destination State CD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --