Piper PA-28-140 N6636W

Summary

On 12 October 1989 at about 20:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N6636W was involved in an accident near Henderson, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 October 1989 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Henderson, Texas, United States

Coordinates

32.2398, -94.7309

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N6636W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jacksonville → Longview

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW90LA010

2 people had minor injuries.

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AS A RESULT OF A FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 3 EXHAUST VALVE DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PREVIOUS OWNER'S DELAY IN OVERHAULING THE ENGINE AND HIS FAILURE TO ADHERE TO THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS AND ROUGH TERRAIN IN THE TOUCHDOWN AREA OF THE EMERGENCY LANDING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING AFTER AN ENGINE FAILURE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AND THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING IN ROUGH TERRAIN. THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE RESULT OF THE FAILURE OF THE #3 EXHAUST VALVE. HOWEVER, THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE VALVE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED METALLURGICALLY DUE TO SECONDARY DAMAGE TO ALL OF THE FRACTURE SURFACES. THE PILOT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE AND THE ENGINE WAS 661 HOURS PAST THE RECOMMENDED OVERHAUL TIME. A SERVICE INSTRUCTION CRITICAL TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE EXISTING VALVES WITH HEAVIER DUTY VALVES HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH PRIOR TO THE SALE OR THE ACCIDENT. THE PURCHASER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE SERVICE INSTRUCTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.