Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

May, Texas 76857
Tuesady, August 13, 1985 13:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THE ENG RPM DROPPED TO 1500 DURING LEVEL CRUISE FLT AT 4200 FT MSL. HE COULD NOT REGAIN PWR. HE DIVERTED THE FLT AND ATTEMPTED TO REACH THE BROWNWOOD, TX, ARPT BUT DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A RUGGED, HEAVILY WOODED AREA. A SUBSEQUENT ENG EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE #3 EXHAUST VALVE STEM HAD SEPARATED. THE EXHAUST VALVE HEAD HEAVILY DAMAGED THE PISTON AND CYLINDER HEAD. REASON FOR THE VALVE STEM SEPARATION IS UNDETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/1985
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1355
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MAY
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76857
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
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 865
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 13 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28092
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 N9912W
NTSB Number FTW85LA318
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-23352
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 10 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 2466
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES A. MCSWAIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address STAR RT BOX 160B
Aircraft Owner City STEPHENVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76401
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SEP
Departure City STEPHENVILLE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1250
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 21XS
Destination City BIG SPRING
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --