- Date
- October 20, 1991, 09:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Chandler, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8092APiper PA28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 27, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911020047199A
- Case key
- 27482
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
An engine malfunction produced by exhaust valves stuck in the open position. Contributing to the accident was an unsuitable landing area and a sign adjacent to the landing area.
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 certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was departing the airport on a personal flight in the local area. The engine began to sputter and lose power shortly after takeoff at about 200 ft AGL. The pilot selected an emergency landing area on a road at the departure end of the runway. Due to power lines across the intended landing area, the pilot selected a road paralleling an irrigation ditch. After clearing the power lines, the airplane touched down on the road. During the landing roll, the left wing struck a sign, causing the airplane to swerve into the irrigation ditch. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot received minor injuries. A post accident examination of the engine revealed that two cylinders had little or no compression. Both cylinders had valves stuck in the open position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8092A
- Reported as
- Piper PA28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8016080
- Airframe hours
- 4,732
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-036, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Chandler Air Service Inc.
- Registered owner
- Chandler Air Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 18, 1991 · 42 hours before
- Airport
- P10 · Chandler, runway 22, 4,395 × 75 ft, dirt
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
- 32
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 108 total · 30 in this make and model · 44 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.