Accident Piper PA-28R-180 N3930T, Saturday 9 August 1986

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Date:	Saturday 9 August 1986
Time:	14:00 LT
Type:	Piper PA-28R-180
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N3930T
MSN:	28R-30269
Year of manufacture:	1967
Total airframe hrs:	2600 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming J0-360-BJE
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Houston, TX - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Houston, TX (KGWS)
Destination airport:	Houston, TX (KSGR)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

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.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: