Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Chandelle Estates Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Dover, Delaware 19901
Friday, May 13, 2005 23:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On a night departure from an airport, the airplane's engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot attempted to regain engine power without result. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a field substantially damaging the airplane. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions of the engine were noted; however, examination of the exhaust system revealed that a portion of the internal baffle in the muffler assembly had separated from the surrounding structure, and was free to move around inside the muffler. Further examination of the exhaust system showed that the tailpipe was equipped with an arch shaped standoff assembly that extended from the inboard end of the tailpipe and protruded into the muffler to prevent a loose exhaust baffle from covering the inboard end of the tailpipe. Examination of the alignment holes on both the tailpipe and muffler revealed that when both holes were aligned, the standoff assembly did not protrude far enough into the muffler to keep the loose portion of the baffle from blocking the tailpipe. The manufacturer recommended that the entire exhaust system, including heat exchange shroud, muffler, muffler baffles, stacks and all exhaust connections be rigidly inspected at each 100-hour inspection and that the possibility of exhaust system failure increases with use. Additionally, it was recommended that all airplanes be fitted with a new muffler at or near the 1,000 hour period of which the muffler had been used. The airplane was manufactured in 1973 and an overhauled tail pipe was installed at 4510.77 total hours of operation. The airplane's most recent 100 hour inspection was completed on March 31, 2005. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accrued 5574 total hours of operation. At the time of the accident, the airplane had operated 76.14 hours since its last inspection.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The separated baffle which blocked the tailpipe resulting in a subsequent total loss of engine power.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/13/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2300 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Dover |
| Event State | DELAWARE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 19901 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 391204N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0752900W |
| Event Location Airport | Chandelle Estates Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 0N4 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.6 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 22 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2255 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DOV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 28 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| 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) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.21 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 3 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 19522 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 14 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 25 2006 11:00AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Philadelphia |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N55165 |
| NTSB Number | IAD05LA064 |
| 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 | PA-28-140 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-7325336 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2150 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 76.14 |
| Airframe Hours | 5646.74 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Gus G. Yialamas |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Allentown |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 18104 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Ace Pilot Training Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Allentown |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 18109 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 0N4 |
| Departure City | Dover |
| Departure State | DE |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2300 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ABE |
| Destination City | Allentown |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 1 2006 2:32PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 22 |
| Runway Length | 2533 |
| Runway Width | 772 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |