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19960525011559A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-260 · Osage Beach, MO · May 25, 1996

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 25, 1996 · 12:45 local
Place
Osage Beach, MO
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N40933
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI96LA174
Reported as
Piper PA32260
Reported engine
Lycoming O540E4B5
People aboard
4
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
374 total2 in this make and model12 in the last 90 days
N40933Registration cancelled Oct 29, 1996 · Piper PA-32-260S/N 327400025Airframe modelPiper PA-32-260

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft crash landed on golf course shortly after takeoff. (.4)the pilot reported that within minutes of departure the engine started to lose power but did not quit completely. He reported that the engine was barely above idle. Passengers flying with the pilot also reported that the engine did not sputter but continued to run smoothly at partial power. The pilot reported that he was unable to restore power to the engine and executed a forced landing at a nearby golf course. Due to golfers on the fairways, the pilot was unable to land on the golf course's fairway. The aircraft landed in rough terrain and went through a ravine which produced substantial damage to the aircraft. The examination of the aircraft revealed that fuel was available in all four fuel tanks prior to impact damage. The fuel lines to the engine driven fuel pump were inspected and were intact with no leakage. The electric boost pump was operated and it indicated normal fuel pressure. The engine driven fuel pump was bench tested and operated normally. The engine was test run and operated within specifications.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT CRASH LANDED ON GOLF COURSE SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WITHIN MINUTES OF DEPARTURE THE ENGINE STARTED TO LOSE POWER BUT DID NOT QUIT COMPLETELY. HE REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BARELY ABOVE IDLE. PASSENGERS FLYING WITH THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT SPUTTER BUT CONTINUED TO RUN SMOOTHLY AT PARTIAL POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER TO THE ENGINE AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING AT A NEARBY GOLF COURSE. DUE TO GOLFERS ON THE FAIRWAYS, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LAND ON THE GOLF COURSE'S FAIRWAY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN ROUGH TERRAIN AND WENT THROUGH A RAVINE WHICH PRODUCED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT FUEL WAS AVAILABLE IN ALL FOUR FUEL TANKS PRIOR TO IMPACT DAMAGE. THE FUEL LINES TO THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WERE INSPECTED AND WERE INTACT WITH NO LEAKAGE. THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP WAS OPERATED AND IT INDICATED NORMAL FUEL PRESSURE. THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WAS BENCH TESTED AND OPERATED NORMALLY. THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN AND OPERATED WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI96LA174Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportOsage Beach, MOa partial loss of power for undetermined reasons.May 25, 1996 · Substantial damage