Piper PA-23E-250 N54263

Summary

On 19 May 1999 at about 23:25 local time, a Piper PA-23E-250 registered N54263 was involved in an accident near Tucumcari, New Mexico, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 May 1999 at 23:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Tucumcari, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Tucumcari Municipal (TCC)

Coordinates

35.1606, -103.7193

Aircraft

Piper PA-23E-250

Registration

N54263

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Albuquerque

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN99FA081

2 people died.

The pilot's inadvertent stall. A factor was the loss of power of one engine in the twin-engine airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Approximately 5 minutes after taking off, the pilot told air traffic control that his 'left engine was smoking badly,' that he had feathered the propeller, and was returning to land. As the airplane made its approach, the pilot was advised that his landing gear was still retracted. He said he would make a go-around. Witnesses could not recall if an engine had been shut down, but they did say that there was no smoke coming from either engine. They watched the airplane bank left on base leg and descend into the ground. Examination of the propeller governors disclosed the right (not the left) propeller had been feathered. Disassembly and examination of both engines disclosed no mechanical discrepancies or failures.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.