Southern Seaplane Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Belle Chasse, Louisiana
Saturday, June 26, 1982 11:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT DEPARTED SOUTHERN SEAPLANE'S LAND RWY 20 & CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 200-300 FT WHERE IT WAS OBSERVED TRAILING WHITE SMOKE. IT TRAVELLED APPROXIMATELY 1.6 MI FROM ITS DEPARTURE POINT & STRUCK A TREE ON THE BANK OF THE ALGIERS OUTFALL CANAL. ENG TEAR DOWN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE #3 CYLINDER SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THE #5 CYLINDER & ROD ASSEMBLY WAS FOUND TO HAVE LOOSE CONNECTING ROD CAP NUTS. BOTH #3 & #5 CONRODS & CYLINDERS WERE REPLACED ON 9/29/81. #1, 2, & 4 CYLINDERS HAD SEVERAL DIME TO QUARTER SIZE PIECES OF ALUMINUM ON TOP OF THE PISTON INSIDE THE CYLINDERS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/1982
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BELLE CHASSE
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport SOUTHERN SEAPLANE
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1651
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID NBG
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 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 81
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2185
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3446W
NTSB Number FTW82FRD16
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground and In-flight
Aircraft Explosion Ground and In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-260
Aircraft Serial Number 32312
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 112
Airframe Hours 3606
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SIZOR MACHINERY COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4N102 CENTRAL AVE.
Aircraft Owner City BENSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60106
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SIZOR MACHINERY COMPANY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4N102 CENTRAL AVE.
Operator City BENSONVILLE
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60106
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City BELLE CHASSE
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1125
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City CHICAGO
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 3200
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --