- Date
- November 8, 2008, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Nacogdoches, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8485RPiper PA-28-140
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 24, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20081108852389A
- Case key
- 69431
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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
After an hour of conducting flight maneuvers, the pilot and flight instructor proceeded to do a power-off landing. During the take-off from the runway, the engine lost partial power, and when it appeared that they would not be able to clear trees, they elected to conduct a forced landing. An inspection of the airplane, revealed that during the forced landing the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. After the aircraft was recovered to a hangar an examination/engine run was conducted. During the engine run, the magneto check was "good"; however, when the carburetor heat control was pulled, the engine started to run rough and lose power. The reason for the loss of engine power was not identified.
Factual narrative
On November 8, 2008, approximately 1000 central daylight time, a single-engine, Piper 140 airplane, N8485R, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power, shortly after takeoff from the AL Mangham Jr. Regional Airport (KOCH), Nacogdoches, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot and flight instructor were not injured. The airplane was registered and operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, flight. According to the flight instructor and airline transport pilot, they were performing a flight review. After about an hour of conducting several flight maneuvers, they proceeded to do a power-off landing. During the take-off from runway 18, the engine lost partial power and when it appeared that they would not be able to clear trees, they elected to conduct a forced landing. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, who examined the airplane, reported that during the forced landing the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The aircraft was recovered to a hangar. The flight instructor and FAA Inspector inspected the throttle and mixture controls before deciding to run the airplane's engine. The engine was started and allowed to warm briefly, before conducting a magneto check at 2,000-rpm. The magneto check was "good"; however, when the carburetor heat control was pulled, the engine started to run rough and not able to maintain 2,000-rpm. The reason for the loss of engine power was not identified.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8485R
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-22395
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 3, 2008
- Departed
- Nacogdoches, TX
- Destination
- Nacogdoches, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- KOCH · AL Mangham Jr Regional Airport, runway 18, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,320 total · 120 in this make and model · 65 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 10, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,955 total · 75 in this make and model · 2,639 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 10 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KOCH
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8485R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.