- Date
- October 16, 1987, 08:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Houston, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3903WPiper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 24, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19871016082119A
- Case key
- 22521
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 acft developed a fire in the eng area during the initial climb after takeoff. When the eng lost power the plt attempted a lndg in a small park. The acft touched down just short of a drainage ditch and collided with the sloping embankment on the opposite side of the ditch. Post acc inspection revealed a failed exhaust system which allowed hot exhaust gases to start a fire. The exhaust pipe failed from extensive corrosion.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3903W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32849
- Airframe hours
- 5,147
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Donald J. Laine, Jr.
- Registered owner
- Laine, Donald J., Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 19, 1987
- Departed
- AAP · Houston, TX
- Destination
- T03 · Genoa, TX
- Airport
- AAP · Andrau
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 700 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HOU, 17 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.