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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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March 16, 2013 · Piper PA23-250 · N6222M

Winsted, MN

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
March 16, 2013
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (6 uninjured)
Location
Winsted, MN
Aircraft
Piper PA23-250
Tail Number
N6222M
Operator
Tri-State Drilling
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN13LA201

The pilot reported that the twin-engine airplane's right engine lost power following a descent in icing conditions. The pilot's attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful, and the pilot chose to land at an alternate airport. The airplane subsequently landed short of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed icing on both engines' induction air intakes and air filters. The right engine induction air filter was 100 percent obstructed, and the left engine induction air filter was about 35 percent obstructed. No further engine anomalies were found. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the icing of the right engine's induction air system resulted in a lack of airflow in the system, which prevented combustion and led to the subsequent loss of engine power.

NTSB Probable Cause

Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Temp/humidity/pressure-Conducive to carburetor icing-Effect on equipment - C

Full Narrative

On March 15, 2013, about 1910 central daylight time, a Piper PA23-250, N6222M, impacted terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power on the right engine. There were no injuries to the pilot or five passengers. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage during the forced landing. The aircraft was registered to West Metro Aviation LLC and operated by Tri-State Drilling under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a business flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight originated from the Jamestown Regional Airport (JMS), Jamestown, North Dakota, at 1809, and was en route to the Buffalo Municipal Airport (CFE), Buffalo, Minnesota. The pilot reported that the takeoff, climb and cruise portions of the flight were uneventful. As the airplane descended from 9,000 feet above mean sea level (msl) it entered clouds at 7,500 feet msl, and at 7,000 feet msl it began to rain. The pilot reported that the outside air temperatures were about 50 degrees. He reported that when the airplane was between 5,000 feet msl and 3,300 feet msl moderate to severe icing was experienced and he activated the airframe de-icing system 4 to 6 time before descending below the clouds at 3,300 feet msl. He stated that he could not see through the windshield due to a thick covering of ice but that he had good visibility to each side. He reported that moments after he cancelled his IFR flight plan the right engine lost power. He attempted to restart the engine, including switching fuel tanks, activating the alternate air system, and using both hot and cold start procedures to no avail. At this point the pilot attempted to fly to an alternate airport to land. Due to the ice accumulation on the airframe, the airplane landed short of the intended alternate airport. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed icing of the induction air intake and air filter of both engines. The right induction air filter was 100 percent obstructed and the left induction air filter was about 35 percent obstructed. No further anomalies were found with respect to either engine. The engine had an electronic engine monitor installed. The unit was retained for possible download of any recorded data. It was found that the unit did not have recording capability.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time19:10 CDT
Nearest AirportWinsted Muni (0nm NNW)
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Flight Plan ActivatedYes
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA23-250
Tail NumberN6222M
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorTri-State Drilling
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-540-C4B5 · Reciprocating · 260 | Lycoming · IO-540-C4B5 · Reciprocating · 260
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (6 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured6
Total6
Crew 1Age 54 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDusk
Wind10° @ 8 kt, gusting 14 kt
Visibility4 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 1500 ft
Temperature / Dew Point28 C / 27 C
Altimeter29.86 inHg
Observation Time00:15
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data