- Date
- February 3, 1986, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- West Alton, MO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N56685Piper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 34211
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 stated that during preflight he confirmed that the acft needed fuel. After refueling was completed, the plt stated, there was a considerable amount of water in the fuel samples. The plt, also an A&P, tried to clear the fuel system of trapped water. He stated, engine runup, takeoff and cruise flt were uneventful until half an hour later when the engine ran rough and lost power. The acft was substantially damaged during the forced landing in an area of high vegetation. Post accident inspection of the fuel system revealed a milky solution of soap and water was present. It was determined that the acft had been washed just prior to this flt.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N56685
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7440017
- Airframe hours
- 1,826
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James L. Charlotte E. Boyd
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 29, 1986 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- 3SQ · St. Charles, MO
- Destination
- 3H5 · Lebanon, IL
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,125 total · 32 in this make and model · 932 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg