Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-23-250 N878D

15 April 1993 · Elizabethton, Tennessee, United States · Minor injuries

Summary

On 15 April 1993 at about 14:00 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N878D, operated by Morristown Flying Service, was involved in an accident near Elizabethton, Tennessee, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 14:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Elizabethton, Tennessee, United States
Nearest airport
Elizabethon Municipal (0A9)
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Piper PA-23-250
Registration
N878D
Category
Airplane
Engines
2
Operator
Morristown Flying Service
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Morristown → Johnson City
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
IMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
ATL93LA072

People

1 person had minor injuries.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 1 0

Probable cause

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON ONE ENGINE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE ENGINE ALSO DEVELOPED AN UNUSUAL SMELL AND THE CYLINDER HEAD TEMP WAS HIGH. AFTER EVALUATING THE SITUATION, THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENGINE, CHANGED HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT AND ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT TO A MORE SUITABLE AIRPORT FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AS THE FLIGHT CONTINUED, ALTITUDE BECAME MORE DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED SHORT OF THE AIRPORT AND BURST INTO FLAMES; THE PILOT ESCAPED FROM THE WRECKAGE BEFORE THE AIRPLANE WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM, BECAUSE THE ENTIRE AIRFRAME WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-23 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
25 Jan 1993 Piper PA-23-150
N2144P
Eloy, Arizona, United States
no coordinates
R.finkenbine & R. Kestler Serious injuries -
20 Sep 1993 Piper PA-23-250
N5309Y
Spencer, Iowa, United States Robert L. Cozine No injuries -
6 Jun 1993 Piper PA-23-150
N522T
Diablo, California, United States Norman E. Lamantia Fatal 2
17 Dec 1993 Piper PA-23-250
N8769B
Showlow, Arizona, United States John C. Morrison Minor injuries -
16 Mar 1993 Piper PA-23-160
N4341P
Mena, Arkansas, United States Gaffney, Richard & Cynthia Serious injuries -
28 Mar 1993 Piper PA-23-250
N6382Y
Elmwood Park, New Jersey, United States
no coordinates
Alan B. Fleischman Fatal 6

All 1,716 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
23 Mar 1993 Cessna 402B
N405PC
Tullahoma, Tennessee, United States Springdale Air Service Fatal 1
10 Sep 1993 Beechcraft F35
N3886B
Jackson, Tennessee, United States - Fatal 2
15 Apr 1993 Cessna 172
N70397
Greenville, Tennessee, United States - No injuries -
16 Apr 1993 Bell UH1F
N4040P
Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States - Minor injuries -
19 Apr 1993 Dobbs VAN'S AIRCRAFT RV-6
N316DD
Kingston, Tennessee, United States - Fatal 2
8 May 1993 Fairchild 24G
N16897
Athens, Tennessee, United States Martin, Donald R. No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States