Piper PA-23-250 N6382Y

Summary

On 28 March 1993 at about 21:32 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N6382Y, operated by Alan B. Fleischman, was involved in an accident near Elmwood Park, New Jersey, United States. 6 people were on board and 6 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 March 1993 at 21:32

Classification

Accident

Location

Elmwood Park, New Jersey, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-250

Registration

N6382Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Alan B. Fleischman

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Teterboro → Pittsburgh

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

NYC93FA066

6 people died.

INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF THE FUEL INJECTOR SYSTEM RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER OF THE LEFT ENGINE, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A FLAT SPIN. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT LOADING THE AIRPLANE OVER THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AND BEYOND THE AFT CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT, THUS RAISING THE MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING AN INSTRUMENT CLIMB-OUT FROM TETERBORO AIRPORT, THE PILOT WAS ADVISED BY DEPARTURE CONTROL THAT HE WAS IN RADAR CONTACT, AND TO CLIMB & MAINTAIN 4000 FT. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THIS TRANSMISSION AT A RADAR RECORDED ALTITUDE OF 1800 FT MSL. THE FLIGHT WAS RECORDED REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF 2800 FT MSL BEFORE STARTING A DESCENT. NUMEROUS WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DESCENDING OUT OF THE CLOUDS; ONE WITNESS DESCRIBED THE DESCENT AS A SPIN WITH NO FORWARD MOTION. ON-SCENE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT PROP SHOWED ONE BLADE BENT AFT APRX 120 DEG; OTHER BLADE STRAIGHT & NOT BENT. PROP WAS NOT IN FEATHERED POSITION. LEFT ENG TEARDOWN REVEALED 2 OF 6 FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLES RESTRICTED. LAST DOCUMENTED FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM CLEANING WAS IN 1985; BENDIX (MANUFACTURER) RECOMMENDS EVERY ANNUAL INSPECTION OR 100 HRS. THE AIRPLANE WAS 188 LBS OVER MAX GROSS WEIGHT; CG APRX 1 INCH AFT OF MAX AFT LIMIT. AFT CG INCREASES VMC AIRSPEED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.