- Date
- January 4, 1988, 20:45 local (Jan 5, 1988, 01:45 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3003MPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880104000879A
- Case key
- 13899
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
Pilot on night cross country flight with clear, very cold weather, experienced total loss of engine power while cruising at 7500 feet MSL. Approach control gave position of closest field, but pilot elected to continue to destination which was five miles farther. When pilot realized he could not make intended destination, he accepted vectors to closest field. Pilot did not think that field could be made and elected to make a landing on highway. The acft hit a light pole while manuevering for a short final approach with the highway. Engine inspection could find no defects. Engine ran well and produced normal power in test cell. The pilot reported that there was only 2200 RPM at full throttle both on the ground and in cruise. He further stated that he was not utilizing the winterization kit. The maximum oil temp was 8O degrees f. according to the engine manufacturer, operation at severe temperatures can allow minute ice particles to collect on the carburetor inlet screen and block some or all of the fuel flow.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3003M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7890283
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Decatur Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 23, 1987 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- DVN · Davenport, IA
- Destination
- FWA · Fort Wayne, IN
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- Age
- 30
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 122 total · 41 in this make and model · 73 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 290° at 16 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 1 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FWA, 9 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.