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19971230039719A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-11 · White Hills, AZ · December 30, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
December 30, 1997
Place
White Hills, AZ
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N5532H
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX98FA064
Reported as
Piper PA11
Reported engine
Continental C908F
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
230 total
N5532HRegistered now · Piper PA-11S/N 11-1035 · Built 1949Airframe modelPiper PA-11Engine modelContinental C90 seriesReciprocating

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.

(.4)When the pilot failed to return from a local flight a search was initiated and the aircraft was found about 3 miles southeast of the departure airstrip. The aircraft collided with near level desert terrain at a 45-degree angle with no signs of rotation. The engine and accessories were examined and determined to be free of discrepancies. One propeller blade exhibited signs of rotation. A tachometer needle imprint was found about 975 RPM. An unquantified amount of fuel was present in the left wing fuel tank. The fuel system was approved for and operating on automobile gasoline. Internal fuel hose deteoriation was present obstructing a fuel sight gauge vent line and coupling hoses. Minor contamination was present in the fuel gascolator bowl along with a rust-colored water line. The aircraft was being operated without the front seat. Both rear seat belt attach points (.090 steel wire around 4130 steel tubing) had separated. No shoulder harness was installed. (-23)aircraft apparently had engine stoppage and stalled, impacting the ground at about a 45 angle.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)WHEN THE PILOT FAILED TO RETURN FROM A LOCAL FLIGHT A SEARCH WAS INITIATED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRSTRIP. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH NEAR LEVEL DESERT TERRAIN AT A 45-DEGREE ANGLE WITH NO SIGNS OF ROTATION. THE ENGINE AND ACCESSORIES WERE EXAMINED AND DETERMINED TO BE FREE OF DISCREPANCIES. ONE PROPELLER BLADE EXHIBITED SIGNS OF ROTATION. A TACHOMETER NEEDLE IMPRINT WAS FOUND ABOUT 975 RPM. AN UNQUANTIFIED AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK. THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS APPROVED FOR AND OPERATING ON AUTOMOBILE GASOLINE. INTERNAL FUEL HOSE DETEORIATION WAS PRESENT OBSTRUCTING A FUEL SIGHT GAUGE VENT LINE AND COUPLING HOSES. MINOR CONTAMINATION WAS PRESENT IN THE FUEL GASCOLATOR BOWL ALONG WITH A RUST-COLORED WATER LINE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED WITHOUT THE FRONT SEAT. BOTH REAR SEAT BELT ATTACH POINTS (.090 STEEL WIRE AROUND 4130 STEEL TUBING) HAD SEPARATED. NO SHOULDER HARNESS WAS INSTALLED. (-23)AIRCRAFT APPARENTLY HAD ENGINE STOPPAGE AND STALLED, IMPACTING THE GROUND AT ABOUT A 45 ANGLE.

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 LAX98FA064Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportWillow Beach, AZThe pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft for undetermined reasons.Dec 30, 1997 · Destroyed