Piper PA-23-160 N4293P

Summary

On 22 January 2004 at about 16:48 local time, a Piper PA-23-160 registered N4293P was involved in an accident near Lake Worth, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 January 2004 at 16:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake Worth, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Palm Beach County Park (LNA)

Coordinates

26.5906, -80.0761

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-160

Registration

N4293P

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lantana → Everglades City

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA04FA047

2 people died.

The pilot's inadequate control of the aircraft by his use of an excessive bank angle, and his failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall and a loss of control following a loss of power in one engine. The reason for the loss of the engine power was not determined.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported shortly after the takeoff from runway 27 that he was returning to land with a lost of power in one of the engines. The airplane subsequently crashed in a residential area, collided with trees, powerlines, and came to rest in the yard of a residence. Witnesses observed the flight fly the downwind leg for runway 27 at 400 feet. The flight then turned on the base leg while descending and then overshot the final leg. While at an altitude of 100-150 feet the flight continued turning toward the runway and the bank angle increased to 50-60 degrees and the nose dropped down.. Recorded radar shows the flight climbed to 3,000 feet while maintaining a southwesterly heading. The flight turned left back to the airport and began a descent from which he entered downwind for runway 27 at an altitude of between 400 and 500 feet, while about 1/4 mile south of the runway, at a groundspeed of between 95 and 105 knots. The flight turned onto base leg at an altitude of about 300 feet, while about 1/2 mile from the arrival end of runway 27, at an approximate groundspeed of between 75 and 80 knots. The last radar contact showed the airplane at an altitude of 82 feet at a groundspeed of 66 knots. The examination of the airplane did not reveal evidence of mechanical malfunction. The Owner's Handbook for the Piper PA23-160 showed that the stall speed for the airplane with wing flaps down and engine power off is 53 knots. Stall speed would increase about 25 percent at a bank angle of 50 degrees and 40 percent at a bank angle of 60 degrees. This would increase stall speed to between 66 and 74 knots at the reported bank angle of 50-60 degrees used by the pilot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.