Piper PA-24-180 accident near Morehead, Kentucky, June 28, 1995
On June 28, 1995 at about 12:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N16WW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Morehead, Kentucky (Moorehead-Rowan airport). 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 pilot's failure to assure that an inadequate oil supply was available fot the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1995 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Morehead, Kentucky · Moorehead-Rowan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N16WW · registry record · serial 24-180
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE AT A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 4,500 FEET MSL THE 'ANNUNCIATOR LIGHTS STARTED BLINKING AND THEN BECAME SOLID.' HE THEN NOTED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE 'NEEDLE REGISTERED NO OIL.' THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN HALFWAY DOWN A 2,600-FOOT RUNWAY WHICH HAD HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS AT THE APPROACH END. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY, SKIDDED ACROSS GRASS WITH HEAVY DEW AND IMPACTED A BACK PORCH OF A MOBILE HOME. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED IT WAS DEPLETED OF OIL. THE ENGINE TEARDOWN REVEALED THAT BOTH COMPRESSION RINGS ON THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER WERE FRACTURED IN SEVERAL PIECES; THE CAMSHAFT WAS ENGRAVED WITH THE WORDING 'NOT A CERTIFIED PART;' AND ALL EIGHT ROD BOLT NUTS WERE INSTALLED UPSIDE DOWN. THE ENGINE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE LAST ENGINE OVERHAUL WAS ON 7/5/92.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HTS Huntington WV at 11:35 am
- Destination: LOU Louisville KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.
Other NTSB records under N16WW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.