# Accident 19960224002649A: Piper PA22150, Bourbon, IN, February 24, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 24, 1996, 10:30 local time
- Place: Bourbon, IN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.3394° N, 86.3107° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3394&lon=-86.3107&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6939B, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6939B-2014-11-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22-150 (registry code 7102210, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA22150
- Reported engine: LYC O320A1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,300 total, 370 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI96LA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA096) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960224002649A

## Narrative

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

LOST POWER EN ROUTE. FORCE LANDED IN PLOWED FIELD CROSS FURROWS. NOSED OVER(-23) ON FEBRUARY 24, 1996, AT APPROXIMATELY 1015 AM EST, A PIPER (PA22-150), N6939B, DEPARTED THE FULTON COUNTY AIRPORT (RCR) IN ROCHESTER, IN., ENROUTE TO THE MISHAWAKA PILOT'S CLUB AIRFIELD (3CI) IN ELKHART, IN. AFTER REACHING HIS CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 2500 FEET THE PIC SWITCHED FROM THE RIGHT TANK TO THE LEFT TANK. APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 7 MINUTES LATER THE PIC REPORTED HIS ENGINE LOST POWER. HE SWITCHED BACK TO THE RIGHT TANK BUT GOT NO RESPONSE, RESELECTED LEFT TANK BUT STILL COULD ONLY GET WHAT APPEARED TO BE IDLE RPM. THE PIC SELECTED LEFT, RIGHT, AND BACK TO BOTH ON THE MAGNETO POSITION SWITCH, WHILE THE PASSENGER (MIKE VERSE, A CFI) PUMPED THE PRIMER, RESELECTED THE MIXTURE SETTING, AND PUMPED THE THROTTLE, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT REGAIN POWER OR INCREASE RPM ABOVE IDLE. THE PIC THEN ATTEMPTED TO EXECUTE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A CORN FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH WAS FLYING DUE NORTH, TURNED DUE SOUTH WHEN IT EXPERIENCED THE ENGINE PROBLEM IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND IN A HAY FIELD. AS THE AIRCRAFT LOST ALTITUDE THE PIC REALIZED THEY DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO MAKE IT TO THE HAY FIELD, SO HE SELECTED A PLPWED FIELD AS THE LANDING POINT. AS HE MADE THE APPROACH TO THE PLOWED FIELD THE PIC NOTICED THE FIELD HAD FURROWS IN AN EAST TO WEST DIRECTION BUT WAS UNABLE TO REALIGN THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT PATH TO MATCH THE FURROWS AND LANDED IN A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION. AS THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR TOUCHED DOWN FIRST, THEN THE LEFT GEAR TOUCHED DOWN. THE PA22 CONTINUED DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE FURROWS FOR APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET WHERE FINALLY THE PROPELLER STUCK IN THE SOFT EARTH ABRUPTLY STOPPING FORWARD MOTION CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER ON ITS BACK. THE MAIN GEAR, TIRES AND PROPELLER WERE COVERED IN MUD BUT THE TAIL WHEEL HAD NO EVIDENCE OF EVER TOUCHING THE GROUND. BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

## 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 CHI96LA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA096), Feb 24, 1996: Piper PA-22-150 (N6939B), Bourbon, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: Water contamination in the fuel, and an inadequate preflight by the pilot. Factors relating to the accident were: soft terrain in the emergency landing area, and an improper soft field landing…

## Other reports on N6939B (2)

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

- [Incident 19850808046539I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850808046539I), Aug 8, 1985: Piper PA22150 (N6939B), West Branch, MI, Minor damage. Aircraft ground looped during landing rollout. Damage to wingtip.
- [Accident 19820515019309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19820515019309A), May 15, 1982: Piper PA22150 (N6939B), Harrison, MI, Substantial damage. Pilot was unable to obtain fuel and was attempting takeoff from taxiway when aircraft struck a fence and crashed.

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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