Piper PA-23-150 N2144P

Summary

On 25 January 1993 at about 00:15 local time, a Piper PA-23-150 registered N2144P, operated by R.finkenbine & R. Kestler, was involved in an accident near Eloy, Arizona, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 January 1993 at 00:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Eloy, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Eloy (E60)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-150

Registration

N2144P

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

R.finkenbine & R. Kestler

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Tucson

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX93FA103

4 people were seriously injured.

PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL SYSTEM CONTAMINATION AND A PARTIALLY OBSTRUCTED CARBURETOR VENTURI, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING THE 1ST TAKEOFF ROLL, THERE WAS A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. HE TAXIED BACK AND RAN UP THE ENGINES. THE LEFT ENGINE WAS RUN UP THREE TIMES UNTIL THE 'PUFFING (OR POPPING) NOISES' WERE NO LONGER HEARD, AND THE PILOT COMMENCED ANOTHER TAKEOFF. WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING ONE OR MORE ENGINES SPUTTER DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE LOST LEFT ENGINE POWER WITHIN 300 FT AGL. HE MADE A STEEP BANK LEFT TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT, LOST CONTROL, AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE LEFT ENGINE AND CARBURETOR ASSEMBLY WERE SUCCESSFULLY TEST RUN. CLEAR, BLUE COLORED FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT ENGINE'S CARBURETOR AND GASCOLATOR, AND IN THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK. CLOUDY, GREEN COLORED SEDIMENT LADEN FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT ENGINE'S CARBURETOR, AND IN THE RIGHT ENGINE DRIVEN AND AUXILIARY FUEL PUMPS. A FOREIGN SUBSTANCE, WHICH WAS LABORATORY IDENTIFIED AS BEING POLYSTYRENE, WAS FOUND ADHERED TO THE INSIDE OF THE RIGHT ENGINE'S VENTURI.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.