SEA92FA147

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-24-260 · Woods Cross, UT · July 9, 1992

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
July 9, 1992, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC)
Place
Woods Cross, UT
Injuries
4 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N9323PPiper PA-24-260
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 28, 1993
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19920709024629A
Case key
41585

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

Pilot factor in that he failed to attain and maintain sufficient flying speed. Factors to the accident were: cylinder over temperature, improper use of the mixture and procedures/directives were not followed.

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.

Loss of control - in flightTakeoff
Engine assembly,cylinder - overtemperatureFactor
Mixture - improper use ofPilot in commandFactor
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Procedures/directives - not followedPilot in commandFactor
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

During the take off ground run, witnesses reported that the eng sounded normal, however, the airplane remained on the rwy for an unusual length of time. When the airplane finally lifted off near the end of the rwy, the angle of attack increased above normal. The airplane continued to climb in this attitude, with the wings wagging up and down. The airplane attained an alt of approx 100 200 ft when the rt wing and nose dropped toward the ground. The airplane collided with the ground approx one half mile north of the arpt in a nose down, rt wing low attitude. A post crash fire ignited and consumed the airplane. During a post crash eng teardown, it was found that the number six cylinder could not hold compression. Further teardown revealed a section of the cylinder around the exhaust seal was missing. Metallurgical examination revealed that the damage most likely occurred as a result of extremely lean operations which lead to detonation. The plt had recently purchased the airplane, which was equipped with a turbo charger, and was taught to lean the mixture for take off. The operators manual states for take off to have the mixture full rich.

Aircraft

Registration
N9323P
Reported as
Piper PA-24-260
Category
Airplane
Serial number
24-4820
Airframe hours
2,128
Engine
Lycoming IO-540-R1A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Helmut Fischer
Registered owner
Fessele, Elsa
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · April 1, 1992 · 17 hours before
Destination
GCN · Grand Canyon, AZ
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
BTF · Skypark, runway 34, 4,700 × 70 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
43
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Unknown, Unknown
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
400 total · 15 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
300° at 7 knots
Visibility
50 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
75 °F, dew point 48 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
SLC, 4 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.