- Date
- February 11, 1988, 19:42 local (Feb 12, 1988, 01:42 UTC)
- Place
- Laplace, LA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4882SPiper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 25, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880211003699A
- Case key
- 22539
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
Plt was in level crz flt at night when he observed sparks and flame coming from the eng cowling. Shortly thereafter, the eng began running rough and then seized. After declaring an emergency and being cleared straight in to a runway about 28 miles away, the plt decided that he could not make the rwy and executed an emerg lndg on an unlighted stretch of interstate hwy. drng the lndg roll, the rt wing struck a guard rail and the acft veered rt, collapsing the MLG. Investigation revealed that the no. 3 cyl had separated into 2 pieces as a result of a fatigue crack that had initiated at the inner diameter of the cyl. The cause of the fatigue initiation could not be determined. Evidence indicated that the cyl fatigue crack had been there for some time, more than the 26 hrs that had elapsed since the last 100 hr insp.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4882S
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7100006
- Airframe hours
- 2,576
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Frank J. Wathen
- Registered owner
- Wathen, Frank J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 24, 1987 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- ADS · Addison, TX
- Destination
- MSY · New Orleans, LA
- Airport
- MSY · New Orleans Intl.
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
- 28
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 100 total · 13 in this make and model · 43 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 340° at 14 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MSY, 13 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.