Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-23-250 N40273

4 March 1996 · Sulphur Springs, Texas, United States · Minor injuries

Summary

On 4 March 1996 at about 23:50 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N40273 was involved in an accident near Sulphur Springs, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 23:50
Classification
Accident
Location
Sulphur Springs, Texas, United States
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Piper PA-23-250
Registration
N40273
Category
Airplane
Engines
2
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Tulsa → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
FTW96LA141

People

1 person had minor injuries.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 1 0

Probable cause

the pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance. A factor was his diverted attention to the performance of the manual gear extension procedure.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Following a partial right engine power loss in cruise flight, the pilot decided to make a precautionary landing at a nearby airport. While maneuvering to the airport, he noted the gear down indicator lights did not illuminate when he placed the gear handle down. After manually extending the landing gear, the pilot realized he 'didn't have enough altitude to reach [the] airfield.' A witness observed the airplane impact the surface of a lake and, subsequently, sink.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-23 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
29 Mar 1996 Piper PA-23-250
N14260
Torrance, California, United States Carl J. Congdon No injuries -
11 Mar 1996 Piper PA-23-250
N222WR
Bridgeport, West Virginia, United States - Fatal 1
14 Jun 1996 Piper PA-23-150
N2189P
Cortland, New York, United States - Fatal 3
24 Jun 1996 Piper PA-23-250
N6937Y
Clanton, Alabama, United States Mike Cornelius Fatal 5
2 Jul 1996 Piper PA-23-150
N3061P
Knoxville, Tennessee, United States Knoxville Flight Training CTR No injuries -
17 Jul 1996 Piper PA-23-250
N6819Y
St Petersburg, Florida, United States L C E Inc. No injuries -

All 1,716 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
21 Sep 1996 Cessna T210L
N369PT
Lonestar, Texas, United States
no coordinates
- Minor injuries -
8 Jan 1996 Piper PA-28-160
N5505W
Decatur, Texas, United States - Serious injuries -
9 Jan 1996 Piper PA-38-112
N9840T
Port Mansfield, Texas, United States Flight Training Systems, Inc. No injuries -
14 Jan 1996 Beechcraft 35-A33
N1111Z
Houston, Texas, United States Ray's Flying Service No injuries -
28 Apr 1996 Cessna T210N
N9403Y
Beaumont, Texas, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
12 Jan 1996 Schweizer 269C
N3623T
San Ygnacio, Texas, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States