Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Big Spring Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Big Spring, Texas 79720
Friday, August 23, 1985 20:35 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE ACFT COCKPIT/CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PLT & PASSG SMELLED AN ODOR OF ELECTRICAL WIRING BURNING AND SAW FIRE AT THE FIREWALL NEAR THE RUDDER PEDALS. THE ACFT WAS TURNED 180 DEGREES AND LANDED ON RWY 35. THE 2 OCCUPANTS IMMEDIATELY EGRESSED. INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE ENG LEFT EXHAUST STACK, PN 63726-O2, WHICH SHOULD BE INSERTED INTO THE MUFFLER ASSEM, PN 66704-00 AND SECURED WITH CLAMP ASSEM, PN 65442-03 WAS DISPLACED AWAY FROM THE END OF THE MUFFLER ALLOWING HOT GASES TO BE DIRECTED ONTO THE FIREWALL IN THE AREA OF THE STARTER SOLENOID AND BRAKE RESERVOIR. THE SECURING CLAMP ASSEM WAS PRESENT ON THE MUFFLER WITH THE NUT INSTALLED AND CLAMP FLUSH WITH THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF THE MUFFLER EXTENSION. THE LOCATER PIN WAS EXTENDING THRU THE MUFFLER EXTENSION. THE EXHAUST STACK HAD THE LOCATOR HOLD AND INSPECTION DID NOT SHOW THAT THE PIN WAS WORN OR SHEARED TO ALLOW DISENGAGEMENT. FIRE DAMAGED THE ACFT FROM THE FIREWALL TO THE BAGGAGE/REAR AERA. FLUID FROM THE MELTED BRAKE RESERVOIR APPEARED TO ADD TO THE FIRE.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/23/1985 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2035 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | BIG SPRING |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 79720 |
| Event Date Year | 1985 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | BIG SPRING |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 21XS |
| 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 | 2595 |
| 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 | 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) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 0 |
| 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 | FAA |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 2927 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 23 1985 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2100 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 31515 |
| 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 | N7401R |
| NTSB Number | FTW85FQG02 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground and In-flight |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-140 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-28-140 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-25002 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1950 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 16 1985 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 25 |
| Airframe Hours | 4017 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | C. RAY OWSLEY |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | RT. 7 BOX 1544K |
| Aircraft Owner City | ODESSA |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 79763 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | JACK H. ROMANS |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 5435 14TH STREET |
| Operator City | LUBBOCK |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 79416 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 2030 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | E02 |
| Destination City | ODESSA |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| 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 | 35 |
| Runway Length | 8800 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |