Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Morton, Mississippi 39117
Tuesady, September 10, 2002 19:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, while in cruise flight, the engine started running rough and loosing power. Smoke was entering the cockpit and a clanking noise could be heard coming from the engine. The pilot elected to make a forced landing on I-20 West. The pilot forgot to put the gear down and landed on the I-20 guard railing separating the east and west bound lanes substantially damaging the fuselage and wings. The engine was removed and sent to Textron Lycoming for further examination. Examination of the bottom number one and number four spark plugs, revealed oil and heavy carbon debris. Heavy carbon debris was found in the exhaust valve guide area. The number four exhaust valve was stuck in the open position. The number four exhaust valve tip end had damage signatures consistent with operating without the rotator cap. The rotator cap was located at the bottom of the number four rocker cover. The number four exhaust valve stem was observed straight when placed on the optical comparator in the Lycoming Metrology laboratory. The number four piston dome had a circular signature consistent with an impact mark from the exhaust valve. The number four cylinder exhaust push rod and shroud tube was broken separated from the engine as received. The number four cylinder exhaust hydraulic lifter was found below leak down specification minimums.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Contamination in the exhaust valve guide area which caused the binding of the exhaust valve in the open position.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/10/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1930 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Morton |
| Event State | MISSISSIPPI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 39117 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 322009N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0901335W |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1930 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | JAN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 346 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 40 |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.86 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1907 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 14401 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Com Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 10 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2111 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 25 2003 11:36AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Jackson FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5724P |
| NTSB Number | ATL02LA169 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA24-250 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 24-798 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2800 |
| 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 | Sep 4 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 11.4 |
| Airframe Hours | 3388 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Carol Morehead |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 707 West 14th |
| Aircraft Owner City | Big Spring |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 79720 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Steve Ray Smith |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1606 E 25th St. |
| Operator City | Big Spring |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 79720 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | TCL |
| Departure City | Tuskegee |
| Departure State | AL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1800 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Morton |
| Destination State | MS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 17 2003 5:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |