Piper PA-28R-201T N251BC

Summary

On 2 August 2003 at about 16:15 local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T registered N251BC, operated by Harry Kraft, was involved in an accident near Alpine, Texas, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 August 2003 at 16:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Alpine, Texas, United States

Coordinates

30.3847, -103.6836

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-201T

Registration

N251BC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Harry Kraft

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Alpine → El Paso

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW03LA198

Nobody was injured.

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain available to the pilot for the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the 549-hour pilot, the engine lost power without warning while flying at 10,500 feet, about 20 minutes after takeoff. The pilot elected to execute a forced landing on a dirt road. His initial rollout was successful, but approximately 120 feet from the touch down point, the right wing struck a yucca cactus plant. It continued down the dirt road and the left wing stuck a cactus plant, and the left main landing gear collapsed. An external examination of the engine, revealed a bulge and crack in the upper engine case near the #1 cylinder. The reason for the internal engine failure was not determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.