- Date
- September 15, 1988, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Covington, TN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2833MPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 4, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880915044829A
- Case key
- 7814
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt reported that the engine suddenly began to run rough and backfire during a pipeline patrol flight at 300 ft AGL. The roughness worsened and the plt made a forced ldg on a dirt road. During rollout, one of the wings caught vegetation bordering the road and the airplane veered off the road into a ditch. Exam of the airplane revealed that it was supplemental type certificated for the use of automotive gasoline, and that it was fueled with auto gas. Exam of the lyc 0-290-D2 engine revealed that the #4 exhaust valve was stuck open, and heavy carbon deposits were present on the valve. The valves in the #3 cyl were found to be burned. Lycoming does not recommend the use of auto gas in Lycoming acft engines. Service letter L199 notes that gums can form in auto fuels which can cause sticking valves. FAA ac 91.33A contains several cautions on the use of the auto fuel concerning quality control, gum formation, volatility & carb icing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2833M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-1270
- Airframe hours
- 6,568
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D2, 135 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Ne Patrol, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Northeast Patrol, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 10, 1988 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Greenville, MS
- Destination
- M04 · Covington, TN
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 13,000 total · 11,000 in this make and model · 13,000 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.