- Date
- July 24, 1993, 11:35 local (15:35 UTC)
- Place
- Sparta, MI
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N95478Piper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930724025589A
- Case key
- 9249
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 separation of the rear landing light gasket into the air induction path.
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 engine ran roughly and lost partial power during climb after takeoff. A landing light gasket was found caught in the airbox screen and trailing into the carburetor.
Factual narrative
On July 24, 1993, about 1135 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, N95478, experienced partial loss of engine power during climb from takeoff at Sparta, Michigan, and landed short while attempting to return to the airport. The private pilot and two passengers reported no injury. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions existed in the vicinity. The local, personal flight originated about 1130 without a flight plan and operated under 14 CFR 91.
The pilot stated he had climbed about 550 feet above field elevation when the engine began to run rough and engine revolutions fell from 2350 to 1500 rpm. He turned back toward the airport and unsuccessfully attempted various means to clear the engine. The airplane landed short of the runway in a construction yard and struck a pole.
Examination of the airplane revealed a dislodged landing light gasket caught in the airbox screen and trailing into the carburetor as far as the throttle plate.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N95478
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-25987
- Airframe hours
- 4,702
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James R. Reeds
- Registered owner
- James R. Reeds
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1993 · 3 hours before
- Airport
- 8D4 · Sparta, runway 6, 3,200 × 50 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 16 in this make and model · 265 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GRR, 15 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.
Other investigations on N95478 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.