Piper PA-31T2 N1879W

Summary

On 29 November 1990 at about 16:16 local time, a Piper PA-31T2 registered N1879W, operated by Century Life of America, was involved in an accident near Des Moines, Iowa, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 November 1990 at 16:16

Classification

Accident

Location

Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Nearest airport

Des Moines Intl (DSM)

Coordinates

41.5308, -93.6596

Aircraft

Piper PA-31T2

Registration

N1879W

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Century Life of America

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Madison → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI91FA035

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES BY NOT FEATHERING THE LEFT ENGINE AFTER IT LOST POWER AND/OR WAS SHUT DOWN, AND HIS FAILURE TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT AT OR ABOVE THE MINIMUM CONTROL AIRSPEED (VMC), WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: AN UNDETERMINED PROBLEM CONCERNING THE LEFT ENGINE THAT CAUSED IT TO LOSE POWER OR PROMPTED THE PILOT TO SHUT IT DOWN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

ON FINAL APPROACH, AFTER BEING CLEARED TO LAND, THE PILOT INFORMED THE CONTROLLER THAT HE MIGHT HAVE TO SHUT DOWN AN ENGINE. HE DECLINED TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY OR REQUEST ASSISTANCE. ON SHORT FINAL, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO ROLL TO THE LEFT AND DESCENT INTO THE TERRAIN. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE LEFT ENGINE WAS NOT DEVELOPING POWER, ALTHOUGH THE LEFT PROPELLER WAS NOT FEATHERED. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS PRODUCING HIGH POWER DURING IMPACT. NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCY OF THE LEFT ENGINE OR PROPELLER WAS FOUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.