Piper PA-28R-201T accident near Tucson, Arizona, April 18, 1997
On April 18, 1997 at about 8:06 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, registered N2847F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona. It was a personal 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 blockage of the No. 2 cylinder injection line/nozzle by a transient contaminant, which induced an excessively lean mixture in that cylinder, and the subsequent overheating of the cylinder and intake valve. The engine power loss was due to the open intake valve allowing hot exhaust gasses into the induction system. The contamination was due to inadequate installation/inspection procedures used by the operator's maintenance organization when the fuel system was reinstalled on the engine following the overhaul.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1997 · about 8:06 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201T PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2847F · no longer on the register · serial 28-7918172
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At 300 feet agl in the takeoff initial climb the engine ran roughly for a moment, then smoothed out for a short time at a low power output. The pilot stated that the engine power was insufficient for flight, and, he did not feel that he had sufficient altitude or vehicle energy to return to the runway. The pilot therefore elected to land on a dirt road. The right wing contacted trees during the landing rollout. An engine overhaul was completed on April 3, 1997, and it was reinstalled on the airframe on April 17th, 2 hours prior to the accident. The overhaul facility performed work on only the core engine. The operator's maintenance facility reinstalled all accessories, including all fuel system components, on the engine prior to installing it on the airframe. External visual examination of the engine noted blistered, missing, and discolored paint on the No. 2 cylinder, which had no compression. No valve lash was observed at the No. 2 cylinder intake valve, and air leakage was noted from that area. Exhaust gas residue was noted in all intake tubes during their removal from the engine. The No. 2 cylinder bottom spark plug electrode was damaged, with deposits of what appeared to be molten metal particles. The plugs for cylinders 1, 3, and 4 exhibited sooting. All fuel injection nozzles, including the No. 2 cylinder, were unobstructed. Bench flow tests confirmed normal postaccident flows for the distributor, nozzles, and lines. The No. 2 cylinder was removed from the engine. The piston and combustion chamber were burned. The intake valve stem and back face were burned, and the head was distorted into a tulip configuration. The valve length was stretched. No other internal abnormalities were noted with the engine.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,129 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 356 in the last 90 days; 109 in the last 30 days; 946 as pilot in command; 711 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,712 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 17, 1997; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RYN at 8:00 pm
- Destination: CHD Chandler AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.