Plane Crash List

Piper PA-23-150 N255W

13 January 1992 · Grand Rapids, Minnesota, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 13 January 1992 at about 15:45 local time, a Piper PA-23-150 registered N255W, operated by Weske, Douglas P, was involved in an accident near Grand Rapids, Minnesota, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 15:45
Classification
Accident
Location
Grand Rapids, Minnesota, United States
Nearest airport
Grand Rapids (GPZ)
Coordinates
47.2202, -93.5199
Aircraft
Piper PA-23-150
Registration
N255W
Category
Airplane
Engines
2
Operator
Weske, Douglas P
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Minneapolis → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
CHI92LA071

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 0 0 2

Probable cause

THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR BY THE ALTERNATE SYSTEM. A FACTOR WAS THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THEN LOST POWER COMPLETELY. WHEN ATTEMPTS TO RESTART WERE UNSUCCESSFUL, HE FEATHERED THE PROPELLER AND TURNED TOWARDS THE NEAREST AIRPORT TO LAND. HE EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD, BUT DID NOT GET A GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION. WITH ENGINE DRIVEN HYDRAULIC PRESSURE UNAVAILABLE FOR GEAR EXTENSION, EMERGENCY MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION IS REQUIRED. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT HAVE TIME FOR MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION, AND JUDGED A GO-AROUND TO BE INADVISABLE. HE SIDE-STEPPED AND LANDED ON THE SNOW-COVERED GROUND ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE PARTIALLY EXTENDED LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED UPON TOUCHDOWN AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP NOSE DOWN IN THE SNOW. THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS DUE TO A FAILED VALVE IN THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-23 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
7 May 1992 Piper PA-23-250
N143AC
Valentine, Nebraska, United States WM. J. Kerr/Robt. Kilmer No injuries -
28 Jun 1992 Piper PA-23-250
N59LD
St. Thomas
no coordinates
Caribbean Air Carrier, Inc. Fatal 4
3 Apr 1992 Piper PA-23-250
N6460Y
Denver, Colorado, United States Richard D. Sunderland No injuries -
6 Mar 1992 Piper PA-23-250
N100LC
Sandston, Virginia, United States Jasper Engine Exchange Inc. Fatal 2
8 Mar 1992 Piper PA-23-150
N242CF
Romeoville, Illinois, United States Flying "C" Leasing No injuries -
26 Apr 1992 Piper PA-23-250
N5611Y
Marsh Harbour, Bahamas
no coordinates
Colly Interprises, Inc. Fatal 1

All 1,716 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
7 Nov 1992 Cessna 152
N24975
St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States St. Cloud State University No injuries -
12 Nov 1992 Piper PA-28-180
N15609
Mankato, Minnesota, United States Northstar Aviation Minor injuries -
17 Nov 1992 Cessna 172
N7463A
Elk River, Minnesota, United States Wallace D. Pederson Fatal 1
11 Jan 1992 Cessna 182
N9845H
Lake Elmo, Minnesota, United States STC Aviation, Inc No injuries -
24 Dec 1992 Beechcraft V35A
N8468N
Marshall, Minnesota, United States Midwest Aviation DIV. of SW AV No injuries -
25 Jan 1992 Robinson R-22B
N4046H
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Wilkes, Clyde H. No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States