Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rock Hill, South Carolina
Tuesady, July 17, 1984 23:07 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED IN A POST FLT FIRE AFTER A FORCED LANDING AT NIGHT IN A PRIVATE YARD. THE ENGINE HAD SURGED AND LOST POWER DURING THE DESCENT THROUGH 4500 FT PRIOR TO LANDING. THE ACFT HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP FOR SLUGGISHNESS AND LACK OF RESPONSE TO THROTTLE UPON ARRIVAL AT MONTGOMERY. MONTGOMERY AVIATION DID SOME MAINTENANCE CHECKS AND MADE A COMMENT ABOUT SUSPECTING FUEL INJECTORS. THEY STATED THEY ADVISED THE PLT OF THE SITUATION BUT NO WRITTEN STATEMENT WAS PROVIDEDTO SUPPORT THIS. EXANIMATION OF THE ACFT WRECKAGE SHOWED WATER IN THE FUEL LINES AND DISTRIBUTOR UNIT. THE PLT SAID HIS PRACTICE WAS TO DRAIN THE SUMPS AFTER REFUELING AND NOT DURING PRE-FLT WHEN HE ONLY 'CHECKS THE FUEL LEVEL.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1984
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2307
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ROCK HILL
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 7
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2251 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 35
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1800
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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) 2145
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26058
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N400WS
NTSB Number ATL84FA222
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7680425
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 7 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 5835
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VIRGINIA R. YEARWOOD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 960 HARBIN DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City STEPHENVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76041
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SABER AVIATION,INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3840 AIRPORT DRIVE
Operator City CHARLOTTE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28208
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FTY
Departure City ATLANTA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2149
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CLT
Destination City CHARLOTTE
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 10:36AM
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 --