OpenAirDocs.org

20031121028629A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-235 · Sweetwater, TX · November 21, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
November 21, 2003 · 08:00 local
Place
Sweetwater, TX
Airport
Avenger Field Airport
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N56318
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW04LA027
Reported as
Piper PA28235
Reported engine
Lycoming O540B4B5
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
123 total81 in this make and model43 in the last 90 days
N56318Registration cancelled Feb 15, 2018 · Piper PA-28-235S/N 28-7310174 · Built 1973Airframe modelPiper PA-28-235Engine modelLycoming 0-540 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.

(-23) On November 21, 2003, Mr. Vincent lee (pilot) of aircraft N56318, a Piper PA-28-235, departed hobbs lea county regional airport (hob) at 0610. He had obtained standard preflight briefing at 0530 from albuquerque flight service station. While enroute to abilene international airport (abi), the engine of this aircraft suddenly stopped producing power. The aircraft was located approximately 7 to 9 nautical miles west of Sweetwater Avenger field (sww), at an altitude of approximately 7500 feet MSL. The aircraft pilot then proceeded with the emergency procedures engine out checklist, but was unsuccessful in restarting the aircraft engine. He then notified abi approach control of this aircraft engine failure, and obtained the winds and the airport closest to his position. The air traffic controller reported the winds and closest airport to his position, which was sww. On final descent, the pilot encountered a strong left quartering headwind which caused him to land approximately 450 feet short of runway 220. During this landing his aircraft impacted numerous mesquite bushes, two fence poles and a wire fence. The aircraft came to a complete stop on runway 220.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON NOVEMBER 21, 2003, MR. VINCENT LEE (PILOT) OF AIRCRAFT N56318, A PIPER PA-28-235, DEPARTED HOBBS LEA COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT (HOB) AT 0610. HE HAD OBTAINED STANDARD PREFLIGHT BRIEFING AT 0530 FROM ALBUQUERQUE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION. WHILE ENROUTE TO ABILENE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (ABI), THE ENGINE OF THIS AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 7 TO 9 NAUTICAL MILES WEST OF SWEETWATER AVENGER FIELD (SWW), AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 7500 FEET MSL. THE AIRCRAFT PILOT THEN PROCEEDED WITH THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES ENGINE OUT CHECKLIST, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN RESTARTING THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE. HE THEN NOTIFIED ABI APPROACH CONTROL OF THIS AIRCRAFT ENGINE FAILURE, AND OBTAINED THE WINDS AND THE AIRPORT CLOSEST TO HIS POSITION. THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER REPORTED THE WINDS AND CLOSEST AIRPORT TO HIS POSITION, WHICH WAS SWW. ON FINAL DESCENT, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A STRONG LEFT QUARTERING HEADWIND WHICH CAUSED HIM TO LAND APPROXIMATELY 450 FEET SHORT OF RUNWAY 220. DURING THIS LANDING HIS AIRCRAFT IMPACTED NUMEROUS MESQUITE BUSHES, TWO FENCE POLES AND A WIRE FENCE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON RUNWAY 220.

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 FTW04LA027Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSweetwater, TXthe loss of engine power due to a failure of the crankshaft bolt. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.Nov 21, 2003 · Substantial damage