Piper PA-28-140 accident near Granbury, Texas, July 2, 2014
On July 2, 2014 at about 1:42 pm local time, a 1967 Piper PA-28-140, registered N9898W, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Granbury, Texas (Granbury Regional Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The partial loss of engine power due to the failure of the exhaust valve.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2014 · about 1:42 pm local time
- Place
- Granbury, Texas · Granbury Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140, built 1967 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N9898W · no longer on the register · serial 28-23418
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, after takeoff, when the airplane was about 500 ft above ground level, the engine started to run roughly and lose power. The engine rpm decreased to about 1,100 rpm as the flight instructor attempted to turn the airplane 180 degrees back toward the airport. However, he was unable to land at the airport, so he made a forced landing to a field short of the runway. During a postaccident engine test run, the engine initially ran roughly, and black smoke was observed coming from the exhaust. After a brief warmup, the engine could only produce about 1,600 rpm at full throttle, and the engine test run was stopped. The examination of the No. 3 cylinder revealed that the exhaust valve was broken in several pieces and that some fragments remained in the cylinder, which produced gouging and scraping to the piston and cylinder head. The broken exhaust valve, spring, exhaust valve keepers, and rotating cap exhibited carbon buildup. Examination revealed a wear pattern on the top of the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve rotator cap consistent with rocker arm wear. No rotational signatures were observed along the edge of the cap near the heavy carbon buildup, indicating that the rotator cap had stopped rotating, which subsequently led to a hot spot on the exhaust valve and caused the valve to fail.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 10,341 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 12, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 43 hours in all; 43 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,464 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 2014
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Iron Compass Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: GDJ Granbury TX at 1:40 pm
- Destination: ACT Waco TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 14, 3,603 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from GDJ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.