# Accident 20020331004679A: Piper PA46310P, South St Paul, MN, March 31, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 31, 2002, 10:55 local time
- Place: South St Paul, MN
- Airport: South St Paul Municipal Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.8793° N, 93.0399° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8793&lon=-93.0399&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9103Q, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9103Q-2013-07-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-46-310P (registry code 7104605, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-310p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520 series (registry code 17040, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA46310P
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI02LA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA099) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020331004679A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT DEPARTED SGS ON RUNWAY 34, MADE LEFT TURN WENT UP TO 1800 FT. BY 1850 FT. PILOT FLIPPED ON FREQ. 121.2. ASKED FOR CLEARANCE AND WAS GIVEN SQWAK #5242. HE WOULD PICK UP ON IFR AT 4 MI OUT. AT APPROX. 3 MILES OUT THE ALTERNATOR ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT CAME ON. PASSENGERS SMELLED SMOKE. A FEW SECONDS AFTER THAT THE ENGINE WENT TO APPROX. 1/2 POWER. PILOT MADE LEFT TURN AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. PILOT SAID HE WAS GOING BACK TO SGS. COULDN'T MAKE SGS, SAID HE WAS GOING TO TRY TO MAKE WIPAIRE'S GRASS STRIP BY THE RIVER. COULDN'T MAKE THAT SO PILOT PUT FLAPS DOWN AND STALLED A FEW FEET OVER THE WATER. AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. RIGHT WING WAS SHEARED OFF AT AIRFRAME AND ENGINE COWL WAS TORN OFF ON IMPACT. ALL 3 SOULS ON BOARD JUMPED OUT OF AIRCRAFT, WITH NO INJURIES AND WERE PICKED UP BY A FISHERMAN AND BROUGHT TO SHORE. (.19) ON MARCH 31, 2002, AT 1015 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A PIPER MALIBU PA-46-310P, N9103Q, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER NEAR SOUTH ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, AFTER IT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PLEASURE FLIGHT DEPARTED FLEMING FI                                                    ELD (SGS), SOUTH ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, AT 1000 EN ROUTE TO STORM LAKE, IOWA. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED.

## 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 CHI02LA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA099), Mar 31, 2002: Piper PA-46-310P (N9103Q), South St. Paul, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to an electrical short of the P-lead, and loose fuel line connection as a result of improper maintenance.

## Other reports on N9103Q (1)

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

- [Accident 19920130001439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920130001439A), Jan 30, 1992: Piper PA46310P (N9103Q), Baltimore, MD, Substantial damage. Engine fire on takeoff turned around landed. Fire put out. Leak found in vapor fuel return line.

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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