Piper PA-28-140 N33052

Summary

On 5 February 1990 at about 00:15 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N33052 was involved in an accident near Roanoke, Texas, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 February 1990 at 00:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Roanoke, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

N.w. Regional (52F)

Coordinates

32.9995, -97.2295

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N33052

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Keller → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

FTW90LA064

2 people had minor injuries.

THE PARTIAL POWER LOSS DUE TO A FAILED EXHAUST VALVE AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE SPEED DURING THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING APPROACH.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AFTER THE PILOT STALLED IT AND LOST CONTROL DURING A PRECUATIONARY LANDING FOLLOWING A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE #4 EXHAUST VALVE. INITIALLY THE PILOT WAS GOING TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT A NEARBY AIRPORT, HOWEVER, WHEN HE TURNED FINAL HE SAW THAT HE HAD OPPOSING TRAFFIC. HE TURNED AWAY FROM THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE AND ENCOUNTERED HIGH TENSION LINES THAT HE COULD NOT CLEAR. THE PILOT THEN TURNED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. DURING THE SECOND TURN, THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. DUE TO SMEARING OF THE FRACTURE SURFACES THE ORIGIN OF THE FAILURE OF THE VALVE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.