Piper PA-23-160 N4187P

Summary

On 5 June 1995 at about 14:35 local time, a Piper PA-23-160 registered N4187P was involved in an accident near Palestine, Texas, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 June 1995 at 14:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Palestine, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Palestine Municipal Arpt (PSN)

Coordinates

31.7504, -95.6405

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-160

Registration

N4187P

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95FA226

3 people died.

LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING A GO-AROUND, DUE TO FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) TO ASSURE THAT THE MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED (VMC) WAS MAINTAINED. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: SHUTDOWN OF THE LEFT ENGINE, WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL GEAR EXTENSION, AND POSSIBLE HABIT INTERFERENCE BY THE CFI (DUE TO THE NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT THAT HE HAD RECENTLY FLOWN).

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PRIVATE PILOT STUDENT WAS RECEIVING DUAL INSTRUCTION IN PREPARATION FOR HIS MULTIENGINE CHECK RIDE. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE APPROACHING RUNWAY 17 FLYING 'A LOT SLOWER THAN THEY NORMALLY DO AND . . . A LOT LOWER THAN USUAL.' ANOTHER WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING ON AN EASTERLY HEADING NEAR THE MIDPOINT OF THE RUNWAY; HE REPORTED THAT IT WAS 'NOT MUCH HIGHER THAN OUR HANGAR IS TALL.' HE NEXT OBSERVED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT PROPELLER WAS NOT TURNING AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO 'YAW TO THE LEFT AND ROLL TO THE LEFT.' THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 1,500 FEET EAST OF THE RUNWAY. THE LANDING GEAR ON THIS AIRPLANE WAS EXTENDED AND RETRACTED BY HYDRAULIC PRESSURE GENERATED FROM ONE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOUNTED ON THE LEFT ENGINE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE LEFT ENGINE WAS SHUTDOWN, THE LEFT PROPELLER WAS FEATHERED, AND THE GEAR WAS RETRACTED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINES REVEALED NO ANOMALIES THAT COULD HAVE AFFECTED THEIR PERFORMANCE. THE 76-YEAR-OLD FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR HAD FLOWN 73 DIFFERENT MAKE/MODEL OF AIRPLANES IN THE LAST 4 YEARS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.