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20040420005609A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-23-250 · Fisher County, TX · April 20, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 20, 2004 · 18:15 local
Place
Fisher County, TX
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N6257H
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW04LA113
Reported as
Piper PA23250
Reported engine
Lycoming IO540C4B5
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,430 total4 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days
N6257HRegistered now · Piper PA-23-250S/N 277654057Airframe modelPiper PA-23-250

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On April 20, 2004, at approximately 1835 central daylight time (CDT), N6257H, a Piper PA-23 twin engine airplane operated by a private individual, sustained substantial damage during an emergency landing in a field following an engine overspeed while in cruise flight near sweetwater, Texas. The aircraft nose and right landing gear collapsed and were torn away from the aircraft fuselage attachment fittings. The commercial pilot and pilot rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the title 14 CFR part 91 ferry permit. This flight originated at 1750 CDT, from midland international airport (maf). While enroute at 5,500 feet MSL cruise flight to sallisaw airport (jsv), Oklahoma, the pilot reported the number two engine experienced a 700 RPM overspeed. The pilot retarded the throttle in an attempt to reach sweetwater airport, Texas, but could not maintain proper engine RPM. Subsequently, the pilot executed an emergency landing in a muddy wheat field.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON APRIL 20, 2004, AT APPROXIMATELY 1835 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT), N6257H, A PIPER PA-23 TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD FOLLOWING AN ENGINE OVERSPEED WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR SWEETWATER, TEXAS. THE AIRCRAFT NOSE AND RIGHT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND WERE TORN AWAY FROM THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE ATTACHMENT FITTINGS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND PILOT RATED PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 FERRY PERMIT. THIS FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT 1750 CDT, FROM MIDLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MAF). WHILE ENROUTE AT 5,500 FEET MSL CRUISE FLIGHT TO SALLISAW AIRPORT (JSV), OKLAHOMA, THE PILOT REPORTED THE NUMBER TWO ENGINE EXPERIENCED A 700 RPM OVERSPEED. THE PILOT RETARDED THE THROTTLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REACH SWEETWATER AIRPORT, TEXAS, BUT COULD NOT MAINTAIN PROPER ENGINE RPM. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A MUDDY WHEAT FIELD.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW04LA113Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSweetwater, TXThe propeller overspeed for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.Apr 20, 2004 · Substantial damage