# Accident 20030802021059A: Piper PA28R201T, Alpine, TX, August 2, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 2, 2003, 11:15 local time
- Place: Alpine, TX
- Airport: Alpine/Casparis Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.3847° N, 103.6836° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3847&lon=-103.6836&mi=10
- Aircraft: N251BC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N251BC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28R-201T (registry code 7102813, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-201t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-360 series (registry code 17019, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R201T
- Reported engine: CONT TSIO360*
- Pilot flight hours: 523 total, 85 in this make and model, 28 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW03LA198](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA198) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030802021059A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON AUGUST 2, 2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 1115 CDT, PIPER N251BC MADE A FORCED LANDING APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES WEST OF ALPINE TEXAS. THE FLIGHT, WHICH ORIGINATED FROM THE ALPINE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, WAS CONDUCTED UNDER VMC. THE PILOT STATED THAT AT APPROXIMATELY 10,500 FEET THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. HE THEN EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD. DURING ROLL-OUT THE LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS STRUCK CACTI PLANTS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING AND COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. EXTERNAL INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A BULGE AND CRACK IN THE UPPER ENGINE CASE NEAR THE #1 CYLINDER. THIS MAY INDICATE FAILURE OF THE #1 CONNECTING ROD.

## 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 FTW03LA198](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA198), Aug 2, 2003: Piper PA-28R-201T (N251BC), Alpine, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain available to the pilot for the forced 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.

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