Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Montgomery, Alabama 36108
Saturday, September 20, 1986 10:22 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING INITIAL CLIMB PHASE OF AN EXPERIMENTAL FLT FROM MGM, AL, THE PLT RPTED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE HAD FAILED AND AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO FEATHER THE PROP. THE PLT RADIOED DANNELLY TOWER THAT THE ACFT WAS RETURNING TO THE ARPT. THEN THE PLT RPTED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST THRUST, HOWEVER THE RIGHT PROP WAS NOT FEATHERED BECAUSE HE WAS NOT SURE IF THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING POWER. A GEAR-UP FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A 4-LANE HIGHWAY. THE ACFT ENGINES WERE FUELED WITH ALCOHOL WITH APPROVAL OF THE FAA FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. THREE DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE ACFT EXPERIENCED POWER SURGES AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND AND THE FLIGHT WAS CONTINUED. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE RIGHT PROP FEATHERED AND THE LEFT PROP IN LOW PITCH. THE ACFT WGT AND BAL INDICATED APPROX. 400# OVER GROSS WEIGHT. THE ENGINES WERE SUCCESSFULLY TEST RUN. THERE HAS BEEN NO DETERMINATION AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE RPTED ENGINE FAILURES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/20/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1022
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MONTGOMERY
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36108
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 9
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 1049 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID MGM
Elevation of weather observation facility 221
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
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) 1000
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) 1954
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 20 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32432
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 N6041Y
NTSB Number ATL86LA260
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-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-3227
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 14 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 3355
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MAXWELL E. SHAUCK
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 296
Aircraft Owner City LORENA
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76655
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MGM
Departure City MONTGOMERY
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GSO
Destination City GREENSBORO
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --