# Accident 19990816012239A: Piper PA30, Holdenville, OK, August 16, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 16, 1999, 18:00 local time - Place: Holdenville, OK - Airport: Holdenville Municipal Airport - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.0799° N, 96.3902° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0799&lon=-96.3902&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7178Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7178Y-2013-08-06) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-30 (registry code 7103002, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-320 series (registry code 41509, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA30 - Reported engine: LYC IO320B1A - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 701 total, 414 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99FA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99FA222) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990816012239A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT TOOK OFF, THE ENGINE FAILED, AND THE ACFT STALLED AND CRASHED, THE PILOT/SOLE OCCUPANT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES,THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON AUGUST 16, 1999, APPROXIMATELY 1800 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA30 TWIN-ENGINE AIRPLANE, N7178Y, WAS DESTROYED DURING TERRAIN IMPACT FOLLOWING TAKEOFF FROM THE HOLDENVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, HOLDENVILLE, OKLAHOMA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED TO EAGLE AVIATION ENTERPRISES, INC. AND OPERATED BY ADVENTURE AERO, LLC, BOTH OF HOLDENVILLE, OKLAHOMA. THE COMMERCIAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 POSITIONING FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, WITH NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AS ITS INTENDED DESTINATION. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT AS IT TOOK OFF FROM THE HOLDENVILLE AIRPORT. THE WITNESS FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE TAKEOFF APPEARED TO BE "NORMAL" EXCEPT FOR THE LOUD NOISE, WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS COMING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE NOISE "SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING RUBBING AGAINST A METAL FAN." T HE WITNESS ALSO REPORTED THAT "AFTER THE PLANE WAS IN THE AIR, IT STARTED TO TURN TO THE LEFT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO GAIN ALTITUDE [AND] THEN SUDDENLY TURNED RIGHT, THEN IT STARTED TO LOSE ALTITUDE." HE THEN LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE AS IT WENT BEHIND SOME TREES. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE HEARD A "THUMP" (LIKE SOMETHING HITTING THE GROUND HARD AND SOLID), AND THEN HE OBSERVED SMOKE. EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ON A MEASURED MAGNETIC HEADING OF 160 DEGREES. THERE WERE GROUND SCARS 12 FEET IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED FROM ALL FLIGHT SURFACES THROUGH THE FUSELAGE TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONSUMED BY A POSTIMPACT FIRE. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, HE HAD CONTRACTED THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TO GIVE A PILOT FLIGHT INSTRUCTION IN THE AIRPLANE FOR A MULTI-ENGINE RATING. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA WESTHEIMER AIRPORT WHERE IT WOULD BE BASED FOR THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTION. (-23)PN AUGUST 16, 1999, AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-30, N7178Y, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF FROM HOLDENVILLE, OK, MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, A COMMERICAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME THIS (CFR) PART 91 FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING WITH NORMAN, OK. THE INTENDED DESTINATION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONSUMED BY A POST IMPACT FIRE. (.4)ON AUGUST 16, 1999, APPROXIMATELY 1800 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA30 TWIN-ENGINE AIRPLANE, N7178Y, WAS DESTROYED DURING TERRAIN IMPACT FOLLOWING TAKEOFF FROM THE HOLDENVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, HOLDENVILLE, OKLAHOMA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED TO EAGLE AVIATION ENTERPRISES, INC., AND OPERATED BY ADVENTURE AERO, LLC, BOTH OF HOLDENVILLE, OKLAHOMA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 POSITIONING FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, WITH NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AS ITS INTENDED DESTINATION. EARLIER IN THE DAY, THE OPERATOR SHOWED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE TO A PROSPECTIVE BUYER IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA. THE OPERATOR THEN FLEW THE AIRPLANE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, WESTHEIMER AIRPORT AT NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AND MET THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WITH THE INTENTION OF CONTRACTING HIM FOR FLIGHT INSTRUCTIONAL WORK. AFTER A DISCUSSION, THE TWO DEPARTED TO HOLDENVILLE. DURING THIS FLIGHT, THE INSTRUCTOR DEMONSTRATED HIS FLYING ABILITIES FOR THE OPERATOR. AFTER ARRIVAL IN HOLDENVILLE, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR MADE SEVERAL TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS BEFORE STOPPING FOR FUEL. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO THE WESTHEIMER AIRPORT WHERE IT WOULD BE BASED FOR THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTION. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOLD HIM HE WAS GOING TO TAKE HIS TIME FLYING BACK TO NORMAN AND PRACTICE TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. A WITNESS REPORTED OBSERVING THE AIRPLANE TAKEOFF FROM THE HOLDENVILLE AIRPORT. THE TAKEOFF APPEARED TO BE "NORMAL" EXCEPT FOR THE LOUD NOISE, WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS COMING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE NOISE "SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING RUBBING AGAINST A METAL FAN." THE WITNESS STATED THAT "AFTER THE PLANE WAS IN THE AIR, IT STARTED TO TURN TO THE LEFT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO GAIN ALTITUDE [AND] THEN SUDDENLY TURNED RIGHT, THEN IT STARTED TO LOSE ALTITUDE." HE THEN LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE AS IT DESCENDED BEHIND TREES. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE HEARD A "THUMP (LIKE SOMETHING HITTING THE GROUND HARD AND SOLID)," AND THEN HE OBSERVED SMOKE. ANOTHER WITNESS DESCRIBED HEARING THE AIRPLANE OVERHEAD "BACKFIRING, POPPING." THE WITNESS STATED HE KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND WATCHED THE AIRCRAFT FOR ABOUT 1/2 MILE UNTIL IT DISAPPEARED BEHIND SOME TREES. THE WITNESS CONTINUED TO HEAR IT "POP" ABOUT 20 MORE TIMES BEFORE HEARING A "LARGE BACKFIRE, 'POP'" AND 10-15 SECONDS LATER HE "HEARD THE ENGINES RACE IN RPM (MOTOR REVVED-UP HIGH)." HE THEN HEARD THE AIRPLANE IMPACT THE GROUND. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB FTW99FA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99FA222), Aug 16, 1999: Piper PA30 (N7178Y), Holdenville, OK, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff initial climb. Factors were the loss of right engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's lack of total experience in the… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.