Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lowell, Idaho 83539
Monday, May 9, 2005 16:40 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While in cruise flight, the aircraft's engine began to lose power, resulting in the pilot being unable to maintain his assigned altitude. Eventually the engine quit, and the pilot was forced to attempt a controlled crash in heavily forested mountainous terrain. A post-accident inspection determined that the number four exhaust valve had stuck in the fully open position, and that there was a build-up of valve guide material on the valve stem. An inspection of the aircraft logs revealed that the valve guides and stems had not been inspected in accordance with Lycoming Mandatory Service Bulletin 388C (not mandatory for aircraft operating under part 91) at the recommended 400 hour interval. It was also determined that the engine had been displaying symptoms typical of intermittent valve sticking (rough running for a few seconds immediately after start-up) prior to the accident flight and a number of other prior flights. The pilot, who was unaware that the rough running was possibly associated with sticking valves, had not taken the aircraft to an Airframe and Powerplant mechanic to determine the reason for the symptom.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The number four exhaust valve sticking in the open position during cruise flight. Factors include the pilot's failure to have an Airframe and Powerplant mechanic look at the engine after it had run rough immediately after start-up prior to this and a number of other flights, and no suitable terrain and a dense forest in the area where the loss of engine power occurred.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/9/2005
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1640
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Lowell
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83539
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 460136N
Event Location Longitude 1153354W
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 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 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18371
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date May 9 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 13 2005 12:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Spokane FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8805W
NTSB Number SEA05FA097
Missing Aircraft Indicator Y
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 10312
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Jun 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 144
Airframe Hours 4885
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Paul C. Herr
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Pasco
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99301
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 KJAC
Departure City Jackson Hole
Departure State WY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1413
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KPSC
Destination City Pasco
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 24 2005 6:27PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
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 --