Piper PA-38-112 N24007

Summary

On 10 May 2004 at about 21:12 local time, a Piper PA-38-112 registered N24007 was involved in an accident near Oil City, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 May 2004 at 21:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Oil City, Louisiana, United States

Nearest airport

Thackers Airport (5F8)

Coordinates

32.7883, -93.9542

Aircraft

Piper PA-38-112

Registration

N24007

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oil City → Texarkana

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW04LA125

1 person was seriously injured.

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the student pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in a stall..

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The single-engine airplane impacted terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power after takeoff. According to a witness, who was at the airport and observed the airplane takeoff from the 2,900-feet long by 50-feet wide turf runway, the airplane made a "slight" descent after liftoff, pitched up, then subsequently stalled. Another witness recalled hearing a "chugging" noise coming from the airplane's engine. The airplane impacted terrain at a nose-low attitude, left bank, rotated 180 degrees, and came to rest in an open grass field, approximately 100 feet to the left of the centerline and 102 feet from the departure end of the runway. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel selector valve was found in the right tank position, the throttle was full forward, the primer was locked, and the mixture was near the idle cut-off position. Flight control continuity was established. Both main fuel tanks were breached. The gascolator was observed to be dry. An area several feet in diameter of dead grass was evident beneath both fuel tank areas. Further examination of the engine established valve train continuity through the accessory gears. The spark plugs were removed and the engine was rotated by hand from the propeller flange. Compression was noted on all cylinders and spark was obtained from both magnetos during rotation. All of the cylinders were inspected using a lighted borescope. No anomalies were noted. The number 1 and 3 cylinder bottom spark plugs were found to have excessive lead fouling at the electrodes. Fuel was observed in the electric boost pump. The fuel screen was observed to be clean. The induction air filter was found fuel soaked. The carburetor fuel inlet screen housing was fractured. The carburetor was removed and dissembled. Metal floats were observed, and the fuel bowl was found empty. The engine fuel lines were destroyed. The crankshaft propeller flange and exhaust system were bent aft. The oil cooler exhibited impact damage, and a hole was observed in the oil sump at the rear of the engine below the accessory housing. The last annual inspection was completed on February 7, 2003, and was signed off by an A&P. The engine had been removed from another airplane on July 25, 2001, at a time of 283.42 SMOH. The approximate time since major overhaul TSMOH was 1,520.75 hours. The reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.