FTW83LA103

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna P337H · La Porte, TX · February 3, 1983

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
February 3, 1983, 16:40 local (22:40 UTC)
Place
La Porte, TX
Injuries
1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Unknown
Aircraft
N4BXCessna P337H
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19830203002309A
Case key
20799

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.

Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malfUnknown
Exhaust system,turbocharger - failure,partialFactor
In flight collision with objectTakeoff - initial climb
Judgment - poorPilot in commandCause
Impairment(alcohol)Pilot in commandCause
Procedures/directives - not followedPilot in commandCause
Airspeed - not possiblePilot in commandFactor
Stall/mush - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
Object - wire,transmissionFactor
On ground/water collision with objectTakeoff
Object - fenceFactor
Object - building(nonresidential)Factor
Nose overTakeoff

Analysis

Shortly after lift-off, the acft started its initial climb, then entered a slow descent. The flight was continued until the acft collided with a tv cable, suspended below telephone cables on the same poles. The acft contacted the ground, bounced & became airborne 2 times, then continued on the ground. The plane crossed a road, hit a road sign, ran through a fence, hit a detached garage, then flipped inverted & stopped. The plt stated that the rear engine lost either partial or all power. A mechanic reported seeing the acft taxi with the aft engine not operating. Reportedly, he was unable to stop the plt to tell him. No rotational damage was noted on the aft propeller. During an operational exam of the power plants, the aft engine checked normal, but the front engine would develop only aprx 200 HP instead of the 225 rated takeoff HP due to a faulty engine turbo controller. The plt told a police officer that he had a couple of drinks & was arrested for intoxication when he refused a breathalizer test.

Aircraft

Registration
N4BX
Reported as
Cessna P337H
Category
Airplane
Serial number
P3370307
Airframe hours
660
Engine
Continental TSIO-360-C, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Executive/Corporate · Part 91
Registered owner
Talmadge Tinsley Co., Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Destination
T39 · Huntsville, TX
Airport
T41 · La Porte, runway 4, 3,000 × 75 ft, macadam

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
61
Certificate
Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
16,698 total · 260 in this make and model · 16,232 as pilot in command · 112 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
45° at 5 knots
Visibility
5 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
61 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.