Piper PA24-250 N5724P

Summary

On 11 September 2002 at about 00:30 local time, a Piper PA24-250 registered N5724P, operated by Steve Ray Smith, was involved in an accident near Morton, Mississippi, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 September 2002 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Morton, Mississippi, United States

Coordinates

32.3358, -90.2264

Aircraft

Piper PA24-250

Registration

N5724P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Steve Ray Smith

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tuskegee → Morton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL02LA169

Nobody was injured.

Contamination in the exhaust valve guide area which caused the binding of the exhaust valve in the open position.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, while in cruise flight, the engine started running rough and loosing power. Smoke was entering the cockpit and a clanking noise could be heard coming from the engine. The pilot elected to make a forced landing on I-20 West. The pilot forgot to put the gear down and landed on the I-20 guard railing separating the east and west bound lanes substantially damaging the fuselage and wings. The engine was removed and sent to Textron Lycoming for further examination. Examination of the bottom number one and number four spark plugs, revealed oil and heavy carbon debris. Heavy carbon debris was found in the exhaust valve guide area. The number four exhaust valve was stuck in the open position. The number four exhaust valve tip end had damage signatures consistent with operating without the rotator cap. The rotator cap was located at the bottom of the number four rocker cover. The number four exhaust valve stem was observed straight when placed on the optical comparator in the Lycoming Metrology laboratory. The number four piston dome had a circular signature consistent with an impact mark from the exhaust valve. The number four cylinder exhaust push rod and shroud tube was broken separated from the engine as received. The number four cylinder exhaust hydraulic lifter was found below leak down specification minimums.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.