- Date
- January 22, 1992, 16:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place
- Denton, TX
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N107EHPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920122000859A
- Case key
- 18436
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
Fouled spark plugs, loose spark plug ignition lead, exhaust leak, and cylinder leak. Factors were an inadequate annual inspection, poor maintenance, and operation by the pilot with known mechanical deficiencies.
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
During initial climb the engine lost power to between 1500 RPM and 1800 RPM. Safety board investigation of the engine revealed the numbers two and four top spark plugs showed lead fouling. The wiring harness plug lead was loose on the number three bottom plug. The right exhaust pipe was corroded and deteriorated and showed evidence of leakage in the area of connection to the muffler. Burnt areas on the number one cylinder fins around the exhaust gasket showed evidence of leakage. According to the owner/pilot, the airplane last received an annual inspection three months and 73 hours prior to the accident. During the forced landing roll the airplane collided with a fence and came to rest in a ditch.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N107EH
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7525057
- Airframe hours
- 2,860
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Thomas A. Tweeddale
- Registered owner
- Thomas A. Tweeddale
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 30, 1991 · 73 hours before
- Airport
- 5TXO · Hidden Valley Airport, runway 16, 2,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 47
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 25,000 total · 5,000 in this make and model · 16,000 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FTW, 22 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.