Waco Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Waco, Texas 76701
Friday, September 21, 2001 17:56 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane had departed the runway and was climbing at 90 knots when the engine/propeller rpm began to over speed. The pilot attempted to adjust the propeller control; however, there was no change in rpm. The airplane lost altitude and impacted trees near the departure end of the runway. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the #6 connecting rod had failed, there was no oil present in the engine, and the oil filter converter plate was missing remnants of its gasket. An Airworthiness Directive (AD) was issued that addressed the oil filter converter plate gasket on engines that had been factory remanufactured after April 1, 1999. The AD required the replacement of the oil filter converter plate gasket before further flight on engines with more than 50 hours time since new, times since overhaul, or time since the last replacement of the gasket or converter plate, and thereafter every 50 hours time in service since the last replacement of the gasket. Non compliance with the AD could result in the protruding or swelling of the converter plate gasket and subsequent loss of engine oil. The engine had been factory remanufactured on May 5, 2000, and had accumulated approximately 376.2 hours since this remanufacture when the accident occurred. Examination of the engine maintenance records revealed that the AD had not been complied with since the engine's remanufacture.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the mechanic's failure to perform an airworthiness directive, which resulted in the loss of engine oil through a partially failed oil filter converter plate gasket, and subsequent engine failure during takeoff climb. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/21/2001
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1756
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Waco
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76701
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Waco Regional Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ACT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1.5
Degrees magnetic from airport 190
Airport Elevation 600
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1751 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID ACT
Elevation of weather observation facility 600
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11667
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Sep 21 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1833
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 21 2002 10:26AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Fort Worth, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N192SP
NTSB Number FTW01LA208
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-32R-301
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-13039
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1647.2
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Avex Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 205 Durley Road, Suite A
Aircraft Owner City Camarillo
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93010
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Michael L. Oatman
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 360 Stone Creek Circle
Operator City McGregor
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 76657
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PWG
Departure City McGregor
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing after takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Apr 18 2002 11:03AM
User who most recently changed record SNYG
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --