Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Homedale Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Homedale, Idaho 83628
Wednesday, September 3, 2003 9:00 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that the airplane's engine developed an uncharacteristic vibration while in a cruise flight configuration. The pilot stated that he diverted to a nearby airport and shortly after entering a downwind for the intended runway, the engine "quit." The pilot stated he turned directly toward runway 31 after the engine failure. Shortly after completing the turn to final, the pilot landed on the intended runway. The pilot reported that the airplane "...hit very hard." It was later discovered that the pilot's seat collapsed as a result of the hard landing. Examination of the aircraft's engine revealed a fracture in the number four cylinder head. The full thickness fracture emanated from the top sparkplug hole and traveled the circumference of the cylinder, terminating at the bottom sparkplug hole. The metallurgical examination of the cylinder revealed that the cylinder head fractured due to fatigue. The exam report indicated that multiple fatigue failure initiation sites were observed, most notably a series of cracks that initiated at each of the two sparkplug holes. Maintenance records indicated that the failed cylinder was repaired due to valve pitting. Following the repairs, the cylinder was returned to service. At the time of the repairs, the engines total time was 6,689 hours; 726 hours since major overhaul. The cylinder total time since manufacture could not be determined. At the time of the accident, the engine total time was approximately 7,260 hours; 1,319 hours since major overhaul.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Loss of engine power during descent due to a failed cylinder head.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/3/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 900 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Homedale |
| Event State | IDAHO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 83628 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 433653N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1165517W |
| Event Location Airport | HOMEDALE MUNI |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | S66 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 2210 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| 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) | -- |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15588 |
| NTSB Notification Source | BOI FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 3 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1100 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 3 2004 1:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Boise, Idaho |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N15367 |
| NTSB Number | SEA03LA183 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-140 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-7325048 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2150 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 14 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 36 |
| Airframe Hours | 3537 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Ronald E. LaBrousse |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Ontario |
| Aircraft Owner State | OR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 97914 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| 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 | ONO |
| Departure City | ONTARIO |
| Departure State | OR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 800 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | S66 |
| Destination City | Homedale |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 12 2004 1:53PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 31 |
| Runway Length | 2900 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |