El Paso Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Paso, Texas 79925
Sunday, June 2, 1985 11:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE PLT FIRST SMELLED, THEN OBSERVED SMOKE COMING INTO THE COCKPIT FROM UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENG QUIT COMPLETELY. THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN AREA OFF THE RWY. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE ACFT STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT & THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE MUFFLER ON THE LEFT SIDE, WHICH HAD BEEN OVERHAULED & INSTALLED ON 7/25/83, HAD FAILED NEAR THE OUTLET, ALLOWING HOT EXHAUST GASES TO ENTER THE ENG COMPARTMENT & BURN A WIRE BUNDLE CONTAINING THE MAGNETO WIRING (P-LEADS). A LARGE SECTION WAS MISSING FROM THE REAR HALF OF THE MUFFLER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City EL PASO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79925
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EL PASO INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ELP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3956
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ELP
Elevation of weather observation facility 3956
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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) 1714
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 3 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29092
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39854
NTSB Number FTW85LA242
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-30A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30A
Aircraft Serial Number 30483
Certified Max Gross Weight 3325
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 14 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 1104
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MIKE HAYNES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1214 NEW YORK
Aircraft Owner City ALAMOGORDO
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 88310
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1055
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ALM
Destination City ALAMOGORDO
Destination State NM
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 26L
Runway Length 9008
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --