- Date
- February 2, 1991, 10:50 local (15:50 UTC)
- Place
- Wise, VA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7816DPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11658
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The loss of engine power brought on by a failure of the number three clyinder exhaust valve. Contributing to the accident was unsuitable terrain on the emergency landing field.
Analysis
The pilot had just departed the airport on an IFR flight and was climbing through 5,500 feet when the aircraft suddenly lost significant power. He immediately performed the emergency procedures for loss of power but could not correct the situation. With insufficient power to return to his departure field, he elected to land on a reclaimed strip mine. On touchdown, the nose landing gear broke away and the aircraft tipped on its nose and came to rest inverted causing substantial damage. Subsequent inspection of the engine revealed damage in the number three cylinder caused by a broken exhaust valve.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7816D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-5462
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert J Spera
- Registered owner
- Robert J Spera
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 1990
- Destination
- DKX · Knoxville, TN
- Flight plan
- VFR/IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 347 total · 200 in this make and model · 284 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg