Piper PA-23-180 N2142P
5 March 1994 · Fairfield, Arizona, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 5 March 1994 at about 18:00 local time, a Piper PA-23-180 registered N2142P, operated by Proflight, was involved in an accident near Fairfield, Arizona, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 were seriously 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 18:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Fairfield, Arizona, United States
- Coordinates
- 33.4741, -112.1354
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-180
- Registration
- N2142P
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Proflight
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Las Vegas → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX94LA153
People
2 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADVERTENT MOVEMENT OF THE LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER CONTROL INTO THE FEATHER POSITION, HIS DECISION TO BY-PASS SUITABLE LANDING SITES IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE LEFT ENGINE AS THE AIRCRAFT ENERGY AND PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY DETERIORATED, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN AIRPSEED AT OR ABOVE VMC, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND HIS INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE CFI WAS IN THE FINAL PROCESS OF PREPARING THE SECOND PILOT TO TAKE HIS MULTIENGINE CFI CHECK RIDE. AFTER COMPLETING A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING, THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO BETWEEN 200- AND 300-FEET AGL. THE CFI ATTEMPTED TO RETARD THE LEFT ENGINE'S THROTTLE, BUT ACCIDENTALLY RETARDED THE LEFT ENGINE'S PROPELLER CONTROL INTO THE FEATHER DETENT. THE CFI MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE LEFT ENGINE. DURING THIS TIME, THE AIRCRAFT BY-PASSED SEVERAL SUITABLE LANDING SITES AND ENDED UP OVERFLYING HILLY TERRAIN AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED A GRADUAL DESCENT. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AS THE AIRSPEED DECREASED; THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND COLLIDED WITH HILLY TERRAIN. THE LEFT ENGINE AND PROPELLER COMBINATION WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND INSTALLED IN AN ENGINE TEST CELL. THE ENGINE, PROPELLER, AND PROPELLER GOVERNOR WERE FOUND TO FUNCTION NORMALLY THROUGHOUT THEIR NORMAL OPERATING RANGES.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-23 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jun 1994 | Piper PA-23-250 | Warren Grove, New Jersey, United States | Barbosa, Francisco | Fatal | 2 |
| 4 Apr 1994 | Piper PA-23-250 | Alliance, Nebraska, United States | James W. Furman | Fatal | 2 |
| 19 Jun 1994 | Piper PA-23-250 | Blowing Rock, North Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Mar 1994 | Piper PA-23 | Duncan, Oklahoma, United States | Brewer, JIM L. | No injuries | - |
| 16 Apr 1994 | Piper PA-23-250 | Margate, Florida, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Feb 1994 | Piper PA-23-250 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Proflight, Inc. | No injuries | - |
All 1,716 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Sep 1994 | Cessna 210L | Payson, Arizona, United States | Dairy Queen of S. Arizona, Inc | No injuries | - |
| 21 Sep 1994 | James B Edwards COZY | Skull Valley, Arizona, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 21 Sep 1994 | Robinson R-22 | Benson, Arizona, United States | Same AS Registered Owner | No injuries | - |
| 1 Jul 1994 | Bell 206-B3 | Tucson, Arizona, United States | U.s. Forest Service | Unknown | - |
| 4 Jan 1994 | Bell 206B | Coolidge Dam, Arizona, United States | Southwest Helicopters, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 Nov 1994 | Cessna 172K | Springerville, Arizona, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |