Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Alton, Missouri 63386
Monday, February 3, 1986 14:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT DURING PREFLIGHT HE CONFIRMED THAT THE ACFT NEEDED FUEL. AFTER REFUELING WAS COMPLETED, THE PLT STATED, THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WATER IN THE FUEL SAMPLES. THE PLT, ALSO AN A&P, TRIED TO CLEAR THE FUEL SYSTEM OF TRAPPED WATER. HE STATED, ENGINE RUNUP, TAKEOFF AND CRUISE FLT WERE UNEVENTFUL UNTIL HALF AN HOUR LATER WHEN THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH AND LOST POWER. THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING THE FORCED LANDING IN AN AREA OF HIGH VEGETATION. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED A MILKY SOLUTION OF SOAP AND WATER WAS PRESENT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN WASHED JUST PRIOR TO THIS FLT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/3/1986
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WEST ALTON
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63386
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 2
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 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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2100
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) 2210
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 11 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32784
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N56685
NTSB Number MKC86LA147
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7440017
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 May 29 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 1826
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES L. CHARLOTTE E. BOYD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 955 LINCOLN HWY
Aircraft Owner City FAIRVIEW HEIGHT
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 62208
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 3SQ
Departure City ST. CHARLES
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 3H5
Destination City LEBANON
Destination State IL
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --