- Date
- April 16, 1983, 15:22 local (22:22 UTC)
- Place
- Flagstaff, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4579JPiper PA-28R-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830416014349A
- Case key
- 23553
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 plt reported he had a problem with the spark plugs loading up before he departed sacramento, CA on a x-country & ther magneto (mag) had been overhauled before he departed. He stated the eng ran well 'except for brief plug load (one cyl)cleared by leaning mixture.' En route stops were made at tehachapi, CA & Flagstaff, AZ for fuel. The plt said that during takeoff at Flagstaff, the eng lost power at aprx 100 ft AGL. However, witnesses reported the eng was missing on the takeoff roll. One witness, a CFI, stated that from where he 1st heard the eng, it was missing steadily, but the acftcontinued on the takeoff & rolled aprx another 1500 ft before the plt took off with the eng still missing. After taking off, the acft settled, hit treetops & crashed. The r mag was found at 3 deg before-top-dead-center (btdc). However, there were scrape marks where it had rotated; the retaining nuts were snug, but no tight. Also, the left mag was in its proper position to fire at 25 deg btdc. The arpt elevation was 7012 ft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4579J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28R-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-30447
- Airframe hours
- 4,415
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-B1E, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Robin D. Seaton
- Registered owner
- Emmett Mccain,Ralph D Behymer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 1982 · 67 hours before
- Departed
- FLG · Flagstaff, AZ
- Destination
- ABQ · Albuequerque, NM
- Airport
- FLG · Pulliam, runway 3, 6,999 × 150 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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 478 total · 101 in this make and model · 478 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FLG, 2 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.
Other investigations on N4579J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.