Piper PA-28-180 N5TJ

Summary

On 18 June 2005 at about 21:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N5TJ was involved in an accident near Luka, Mississippi, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 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

18 June 2005 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Luka, Mississippi, United States

Coordinates

34.7761, -88.1664

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N5TJ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tunica → Iuka

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL05CA102

3 people had minor injuries.

Loss of engine power due to the total failure of the exhaust valve on the number 2 cylinder, and the pilot's misjudgment of speed/distance/altitude which resulted in a overshoot of the runway and subsequent in-flight collision with trees. A factor was the pilot's lack of experience.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, during cruise flight the engine suddenly began running rough. He said he adjusted the mixture, turned on the fuel pump, applied carburetor heat and switched fuel tanks with no improvement. He said he spotted the runway on his right, and said that his altitude was about 2,000 feet. The pilot attempted to land on the runway but was too fast and too high and overshot the runway and collided with trees off the end of runway 18. Examination of the engine found the number two (2) cylinder exhaust valve broken at the valve head. A review of maintenance records revealed that the engine was overhauled on July 8, 1998, at a Tach Time of 2,433.0 hours. The engine's most recent annual inspection was February 10, 2005, at an engine total time of 3,156.4 hours or 723.4 hours since major overhaul. The pilot reported that his total time in all aircraft was 63.6hours , and in this make and model of airplane 17.3 hours with 9.2 hours as pilot in command.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.