Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Shirley Williams Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Kingsland, Texas 78639
Saturday, September 8, 2012 18:40 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Witnesses indicated that the airplane was climbing slowly in a nose-up attitude during the initial climb. They noted a slow forward speed and that the engine did not sound like it was operating at full power. The airplane had climbed to an altitude of about 125 feet above ground level and then suddenly rolled to the left and descended in a nearly vertical attitude and impacted terrain on the left side of the runway. The airplane was equipped with a 4-point shoulder harness installation; however, the pilot was using only a lap belt restraint system. Records showed that the airplane had been flown only once in the past year and that the required annual inspection was overdue.
A postaccident examination of the engine showed that corrosion and oil glazing were present and the intake valve on the No. 1 cylinder was stuck in the open position. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the No. 1 cylinder intake valve was stuck open and resulted in a partial loss of engine power.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed following a partial loss of engine power resulting from an engine intake valve that became stuck open. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to operate the airplane when a required maintenance inspection was overdue. Contributing to the severity of the pilot’s injuries was his decision to operate the airplane without using the installed shoulder harness restraints.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/8/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1840 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Kingsland |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 78639 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 304101N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0982510W |
| Event Location Airport | Shirley Williams Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 44TE |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 880 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1835 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 155 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KDZB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1093 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KDZB 082355Z AUTO 36007KT 330V030 10SM CLR 28/04 A |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 33157 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ASW Reg'l Opns Center - Ft |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 11 2014 2:17PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N70108 |
| NTSB Number | CEN12FA616 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | J3C-65 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17082 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1100 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 11 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 16 |
| Airframe Hours | 2334 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | THOMAS W ROBINSON JR |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | HOUSTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77024-4253 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | THOMAS W ROBINSON JR |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | HOUSTON |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 77024-4253 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 44TE |
| Departure City | Kingsland |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1840 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 44TE |
| Destination City | Kingsland |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 12 2014 3:23PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 34 |
| Runway Length | 2600 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |