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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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August 9, 1986 · Piper PA-28-R-180 PA-28-R-18 · N3930T

Houston, TX

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 9, 1986
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Houston, TX
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-R-180 PA-28-R-18
Tail Number
N3930T
Operator
George W Roberts
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
FTW86LA146

Private pilot of a Piper PA-28R-180 departed runway 15 at West Houston Airport (IWS), Houston, Texas. Pilot stated he had departed runway 15 when engine quit at approximately 600 feet AGL. Pilot executed a forced landing approximately 2 miles off the departure end of runway. Pilot stated he failed to deactivate the automatic gear lowering feature of the aircraft which resulted in a forced landing into an unimproved area with all three landing gears down and locked. Aircraft sustained substantial damage. Nose gear sheared and both main gears were forced upward into the wing structures. The pilot and one passenger onboard the aircraft were uninjured. Pilot stated he took on 27 gallons of low lead aviation fuel at West Houston Airport and had drained fuel samples from wing tank sumps and gasolator and found no water present. However, investigation of the aircraft subsequent to the accident revealed some water present in the gasolator. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.

Full Narrative

PRIVATE PILOT OF A PIPER PA-28R-180 DEPARTED RUNWAY 15 AT WEST HOUSTON AIRPORT (IWS), HOUSTON, TEXAS. PILOT STATED HE HAD DEPARTED RUNWAY 15 WHEN ENGINE QUIT AT APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET AGL. PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY. PILOT STATED HE FAILED TO DEACTIVATE THE AUTOMATIC GEAR LOWERING FEATURE OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING INTO AN UNIMPROVED AREA WITH ALL THREE LANDING GEARS DOWN AND LOCKED. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NOSE GEAR SHEARED AND BOTH MAIN GEARS WERE FORCED UPWARD INTO THE WING STRUCTURES. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT WERE UNINJURED. PILOT STATED HE TOOK ON 27 GALLONS OF LOW LEAD AVIATION FUEL AT WEST HOUSTON AIRPORT AND HAD DRAINED FUEL SAMPLES FROM WING TANK SUMPS AND GASOLATOR AND FOUND NO WATER PRESENT. HOWEVER, INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENT TO THE ACCIDENT REVEALED SOME WATER PRESENT IN THE GASOLATOR. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time14:00 CDT
Nearest AirportWest Houston (2nm SE)
Runway15
Runway Length4000 ft
Runway Width50 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-28-R-180 PA-28-R-18
Tail NumberN3930T
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorGeorge W Roberts
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · J0-360-BJE · Reciprocating · 180
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 54 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind170° @ 3 kt
Visibility15 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 12000 ft
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time19:52
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data