Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 74011
Monday, March 31, 2003 16:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stalled the airplane, which impacted terrain in a nose down pitch attitude after the engine experienced a total loss of power. Numerous witnesses observed smoke trailing from the airplane; one of which observed the smoke up to nine minutes prior to the accident. The pilot reported a loss of oil pressure and subsequent loss of engine power. Some witnesses observed the airplane stall, roll to the right, and descend vertically. The airplane exploded upon impact with the terrain. Post-accident examination of the engine revealed the number six connecting rod end cap failed due to oil starvation. The oil starvation resulted from a piston blow-by condition that formed in the number six cylinder. The blow-by condition resulted in crankcase pressurization and the loss of the oil through the breather tube. The blow-by condition also resulted in the burning of oil in the number six cylinder, which resulted in the smoke observed by the witnesses. The cause of the blow-by situation was not determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Failure of the engine due to the blow-by condition in the number six cylinder for undetermined reasons, which resulted in oil starvation and eventual failure of the associated connecting rod end cap. Also causal was the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during the forced landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent collision with terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/31/2003
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Broken Arrow
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 74011
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 360313N
Event Location Longitude 0954722W
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID TUL
Elevation of weather observation facility 677
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 13000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.02
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17302
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Mar 31 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1645
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2005 6:20AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N70NZ
NTSB Number FTW03FA120
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-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7940073
Certified Max Gross Weight 3396
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 Aug 22 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4060.3
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Tire Barn Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 14645 S. Memorial Drive
Aircraft Owner City Bixby
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74008
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Travis Lee Butts
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 12212 Skyline Drive
Operator City Jenks
Operator State OK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 74037
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 RVS
Departure City Tulsa
Departure State OK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RVS
Destination City Tulsa
Destination State OK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - emergency
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --