- Date
- August 8, 2002, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Masterson, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N43473Piper PA-28-151
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20020808022559A
- Case key
- 55656
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 due to fuel starvation as a result of a blockage of the carburetor. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the emergency landing.
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 1,000-hour commercial pilot reported that the engine lost power during cruise flight. A detailed inspection of the engine revealed that an aluminum sliver was found lodged between the needle valve and carburetor housing seat, resulting in a loss of engine power. The pilot did not return a completed NTSB Form 6120.5 as requested by the investigator-in-charge.
Factual narrative
On August 8, 2002, at 1600 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-151 single-engine airplane, N43473, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Masterson, Texas. The non-instrument rated commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight originated from the Perry Lefors Field Airport (PPA), near Pampa, Texas, approximately 1500.
The FAA inspector, who traveled to the accident site, reported that the 1,000-hour pilot experienced a loss of engine power and landed in a rocky pasture east of Masterson, Texas. The right wing spar, main landing gear attachment fittings, and the engine firewall were structurally damaged.
A detailed inspection of the Lycoming O-320-E3D engine revealed that an aluminum sliver, consistent with a piece of thread which was found missing on the carburetor housing boss, was found between the needle valve and carburetor housing seat, preventing unrestricted operation of the needle valve, which resulted in the fuel starvation of the engine.
Despite several attempts by the Investigator-In-Charge to obtain a completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.5) from the pilot, one was not obtained.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N43473
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-151
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7415504
- Airframe hours
- 4,000
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Cecil Martin
- Registered owner
- Stephen E. Martin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PPA · Pampa, TX
- Airport
- PPA · Perry Lefors Field Airport
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.