Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Hemmingway, South Carolina 29554
Wednesday, May 10, 2006 18:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that he was cleared by Myrtle Beach Approach Control to descend from 7,000 feet to 3,000 feet. While descending through 6,000 feet, the pilot heard a "pop" sound, and the engine began to run rough with partial power. The pilot looked at the engine monitor gage and the No. 3 engine cylinder temperature gage indicated 900 degrees. The pilot declared an emergency with the controller, decreased power, requested and received clearance to the nearest airport, made a 180 degree turn and continued his descent through the clouds. Upon reaching visual flight conditions the pilot observed the airport straight ahead. The pilot descended over the airport to lose altitude and turned on final approach. The engine failed at 300 feet, the pilot initiated a forced landing to an open field and the airplane collided with trees and the ground. Examination of the engine assembly revealed the No.3 engine cylinder exhaust valve had failed. The valve was forwarded to the NTSB Metallurgical Laboratory for further analysis. The examination revealed the exhaust valve failed due to fatigue resulting from thermal stress.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power due to a total failure of the No.3 engine cylinder exhaust valve as a result of fatigue from over temperature resulting in a forced landing and collision with trees and the ground.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/10/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1815 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Hemmingway |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29554 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 334401N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0793118W |
| 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 | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1950 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 11 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MYR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 25 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 15000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4900 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.88 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 20711 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communication Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 10 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 28 2006 9:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Columbia FSDO-03 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N15702 |
| NTSB Number | ATL06LA077 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-180 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-7305123 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2450 |
| 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 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 235 |
| Airframe Hours | 5617 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Thomas S. Morrison |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 902 Broadway Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Myrtle Beach |
| Aircraft Owner State | SC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 29577 |
| 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 | CAE |
| Departure City | Columbia |
| Departure State | SC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1720 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MYR |
| Destination City | Myrtle Beach |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 17 2006 9:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |