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April 10, 1992 · Piper PA-23-160 · N3494P

Missoula, MT

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 10, 1992
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Missoula, MT
Aircraft
Piper PA-23-160
Tail Number
N3494P
Operator
Pearson Erik & Crow Charles
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
SEA92LA072

The pilot and pilot rated passenger (right seat) departed in the PA-23 and climbed to 11,000 feet on a local round robin flight. The aircraft was not equipped with wing or propeller deice/anti-ice systems. Missoula reported several scattered, broken and overcast cloud layers below 11,000 feet during the afternoon and the surface temperature peaked at 44 degrees F. At 11,000 feet the pilots encountered a vibration and loss of left engine power and initiated a return to Missoula for landing. Unable to maintain altitude with partial power, a forced landing was executed short of runway 25 at the Missoula airport. Although an attempt was made to lower the landing gear prior to the forced landing, the nose landing gear collapsed during rollout when it struck a gopher hole. Airport ARFF personnel observed ice detaching from the aircraft wing(s) following the accident and FAA personnel inspecting the aircraft subsequent to the accident reported that the left induction air filter was heavily soaked with water.

NTSB Probable Cause

PARTIAL BLOCKAGE OF THE LEFT ENGINE INDUCTION AIR FILTER, INABILITY TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER RATE OF DESCENT, AND DELAYED EXTENSION OF THE LANDING GEAR. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE ICING CONDITIONS, WING ICE, AND ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN.

Full Narrative

THE PILOT AND PILOT RATED PASSENGER (RIGHT SEAT) DEPARTED IN THE PA-23 AND CLIMBED TO 11000 FEET ON A LOCAL ROUND ROBIN FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH WING OR PROPELLER DEICE/ANTI ICE SYSTEMS. MISSOULA REPORTED SEVERAL SCATTERED, BROKEN AND OVERCAST CLOUD LAYERS BELOW 11000 FEET DURING THE AFTERNOON AND THE SURFACE TEMP PEAKED AT 44 DEGREES F. AT 11000 FEET THE PILOTS ENCOUNTERED A VIBRATION AND LOSS OF LEFT ENGINE POWER AND INITIATED A RETURN TO MISSOULA FOR LANDING. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE WITH PARTIAL POWER A FORCED LANDING WAS EXECUTED SHORT OF RUNWAY 25 AT THE MISSOULA AIRPORT. ALTHOUGH AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR PRIOR TO THE FORCED LANDING THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING ROLLOUT WHEN IT STRUCK A GOPHER HOLE. AIRPORT ARFF PERSONNEL OBSERVED ICE DETACHING FROM THE AIRCRAFT WING(S) FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT AND FAA PERSONNEL INSPECTING THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENT TO THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT THE LEFT INDUCTION AIR FILTER WAS HEAVILY SOAKED WITH WATER.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:59 MDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-23-160
Tail NumberN3494P
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorPearson Erik & Crow Charles
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-B3B · Reciprocating · 160
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 23 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility15 sm
CeilingOvercast 3200 ft
Temperature / Dew Point45 C / 39 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time21:50
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data