# Accident 20020808022559A: Piper PA28151, Masterson, TX, August 8, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 8, 2002, 16:00 local time
- Place: Masterson, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.6306° N, 101.9610° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6306&lon=-101.9610&mi=10
- Aircraft: N43473, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N43473-2015-05-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-151 (registry code 7102805, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-151) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28151
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW02LA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA251) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020808022559A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON AUGUST 08, 2002, AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, MR. MARTIN, A COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT, PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY OFF FIELD LANDING DUE TO A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THIS LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED FROM A CRUISE ALTITUDE. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE ENGINE APPEARED AS IF IT WERE GOING TO THE IDLE CONFIGURATION. ULTIMATELY THE ENGINE CEASED TO OPERATE AND HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THIS ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST EAST OF MASTERSON, TEXAS, IN A ROCKY GRASS PASTURE. THIS AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO RIGHT WING SPAR, MAIN LANDING ATTACHMENT FITTINGS AND ENGINE FIREWALL. INVESTIGATION OF THIS AIRCRAFT ENGINE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT DURING THE INSTALLATION OF THE MAIN FUEL FILTER LINE, THE FIFTH AND LAST THREAD FAILED IN THE CARBURETOR HOUSING BOSS. THE THREAD BECAME EMBEDDED IN THE CARBURETOR NEEDLE VALVE AND THE CARBURETOR HOUSING SEAT WHICH MAY HAVE DEPRIVED THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE OF FUEL. THE MECHANIC INITIATED AN FAA MALFUNCTION DEFECT REPORT FOR THIS SITUATION.

## 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 FTW02LA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA251), Aug 8, 2002: Piper PA-28-151 (N43473), Masterson, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of a blockage of the carburetor. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the emergency landing.

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.
