Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Monroe County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Monroeville, Alabama 36460
Thursday, July 3, 2014 11:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On July 3, 2014, about 1100 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, N5923P, operated by a Majair LLC, was substantially damaged during a go around near Monroeville, Alabama. The airline transport pilot and a pilot rated passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight, operating under instrument flight rules, originated from Shelby County Airport (EET), Alabaster, Alabama, at 1000 and was destined for Monroe County Airport (MVC), Monroeville, Alabama.
According to a written statement by the pilot, he performed three landings at EET to obtain "currency" and subsequently departed on an instrument flight plan with a pilot rated passenger onboard. When nearing MVC, the pilot configured the airplane for an RNAV/GPS approach for runway 03. During the approach to land, the pilot performed a gas, undercarriage, mixture, propeller, seatbelts and switches (GUMPS) check, which was then verified by both occupants. About 100 feet (ft) above ground level (agl) the pilot initiated a go-around and retracted the landing gear and flaps to simulate a missed approach. When the airplane reached about 400 ft agl the engine "sputtered, went quiet, came back on briefly, and then went quiet again." The pilot then switched fuel tanks and verified that the fuel boost pump was on. He also observed that the mixture was set to rich and both magnetos were on. The pilot established the best glide speed and selected a field to his right to conduct an emergency landing. During the landing attempt, the airplane impacted a tree, the left wing separated, and the airplane came to rest inverted.
A witness stated that the airplane engine started "sputtering" about 800 ft from the departure end of runway 03. The witness estimated the altitude about 100 ft agl. The airplane then entered a level flight attitude and the "sputtering" ceased. The witness heard the engine functioning, but not at full power. After climbing about 100 ft, the airplane began a right turn and eventually started to descend until it was no longer in view.
The responding Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector stated that continuity was observed through the crankcase to the propeller and compression was identified on all cylinders. The magnetos exhibited normal sparking on all towers.
The wreckage was retained by the NTSB for further examination.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/3/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1100 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Monroeville |
| Event State | ALABAMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 36460 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 312717N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0872142W |
| Event Location Airport | MONROE COUNTY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MVC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 95 |
| Airport Elevation | 419 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GZH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 259 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 16 |
| 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) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 30 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.08 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KGZH 031553Z AUTO 03007KT 10SM CLR 29/22 A30 |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA SROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 15 2014 9:58AM |
| User who most recently changed record | vioa |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5923P |
| NTSB Number | ERA14LA325 |
| 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 24-250 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 24-1010 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2800 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 4 |
| 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 8 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 21 |
| Airframe Hours | 5132 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MAJAIR LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | BIRMINGHAM |
| Aircraft Owner State | AL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 352423045 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | MAJAIR LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | BIRMINGHAM |
| Operator State | AL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 352423045 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | EET |
| Departure City | ALABASTER |
| Departure State | AL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1002 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | MVC |
| Destination City | Monroeville |
| Destination State | AL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 15 2014 10:02AM |
| User who most recently changed record | stes-i |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 03 |
| Runway Length | 6028 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |