- Date
- May 30, 1988, 23:20 local (May 31, 1988, 04:20 UTC)
- Place
- Lampasas, TX
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8209HPiper PA-28RT-201
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880530029299A
- Case key
- 22515
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
The pilot experienced a partial loss of engine power during cruise, while on a night, VFR, cross-country flight. He attempted to spiral down to an airport for an emergency landing but reported that he became disoriented and attempted to land downwind, overshooting the runway. An off-airport forced landing was made on a rural road about 1.5 miles beyond the airport. During rollout the aircraft struck a concrete culvert abutment and trees. Engine examination revealed an exhaust valve had broken into several pieces.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8209H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28RT-201 (PA-28RT-20)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-8218017
- Airframe hours
- 1,804
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1-C6, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William E. Sheridan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 16, 1988 · 31 hours before
- Departed
- F05 · Vernon, TX
- Destination
- AUS · Austin, TX
- Airport
- T28 · Lampasas
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 489 total · 228 in this make and model · 447 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AUS, 58 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.