# Accident 19911027048139A: Piper PA23250, Groton - New Lo, CT, October 27, 1991

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 27, 1991, 18:57 local time
- Place: Groton - New Lo, CT
- Airport: Groton-New London
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach-IFR
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.3535° N, 72.0225° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from the FAA’s distance and direction from , within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3535&lon=-72.0225&mi=10
- Aircraft: N14256, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N14256-2002-03-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-23-250 (registry code 7102308, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA23250
- Reported engine: LYC IO540C4B5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 652 total, 245 in this make and model, 62 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC92LA020](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC92LA020) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19911027048139A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

STRUCK TREES SHORT OF AIRPORT ON VOR APPROACH. WEATHER KNOWN TO PILOT WAS BELOW MINIMUM. DESCENDED BELOW MDA.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC92LA020](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC92LA020), Oct 27, 1991: Piper PA-23-250 (N14256), Groton, CT, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE DURING THE APPROACH. A FACTOR WAS PILOT FATIGUE.

## Other reports on N14256 (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19800611054159I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800611054159I), Jun 11, 1980: Piper PA23250 (N14256), Rochester, NY. Pilot noticed engine smoking and alerted tower. Landed safely and found trouble to be oil filter seal leaking.
- [Incident 19781205022459I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19781205022459I), Dec 5, 1978: Piper PA23250 (N14256), Rochester, NY, Damage unknown. Right main collapsed during rollout. Suspect pilot raised the gear handle.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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