# Accident 20050818022529A: Piper PA23250, Smoketown, PA, August 18, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 18, 2005, 17:15 local time
- Place: Smoketown, PA
- Airport: Smoketown Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.0411° N, 76.2014° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0411&lon=-76.2014&mi=10
- Aircraft: N40504, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N40504-2015-05-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-23-250 (registry code 7102308, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA23250
- Reported engine: LYC IO540C4B5
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,370 total, 199 in this make and model, 156 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD05LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD05LA123) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050818022529A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 28 AT SMOKETOWN AIRPORT. AT APPROXIMATELY 100' AGL THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER. THE CFI ^PRIVACY DATA OMIT^ TOOK THE CONTROLS AND CHECKED THE INSTRUMENTS AND SWITCH POSITIONS. BOTH PILOTS STATED ALL SWITCH POSITIONS LOOKED NORMAL. BOTH PILOTS SAID THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLIMB AND THAT THE AIRSPEED CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE TOWARDS THE RED LINE. THE CFI RAISED THE GEAR TRYING TO GET THE AIRCRAFT TO CLIMB. WITH THE AIRSPEED DECREASING THE CFI NOSED THE AIRCRAFT OVER TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT FROM STALLING, AND LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO LAND. THE CFI TURNED THE AIRCRAFT TO AN OPEN AREA, CONTACTED CORN IN A CORN FIELD, SKIDDED SIDEWAYS ACROSS A HOMEOWNERS FRONT YARD AND CAME TO REST ON A STREET IN A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE FLIGHT CREW OR RESIDENTS ON THE GROUND. A FIELD INSPECTION FOUND NO CAUSE FOR THE LOSS OF POWER. THE SUSPECTED FAILED ENGINE (THE LEFT ENGINE), AS INDICATED BY THE PILOTS, WAS TESTED IN THE FIELD AND RAN SUCCESSFULLY. THE ENGINE MADE TAKEOFF POWER WITH NO DEGRADATION NOTED. THE FUEL CAPS WERE NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY, AND COULD BE LIFTED OUT OF THE TANK AFTER THE TABS HAD BEEN SECURED. NO DEFINITIVE CAUSE FOR THE LOSS OF POWER WAS FOUND.

## 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 IAD05LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD05LA123), Aug 18, 2005: Piper PA-23-250 (N40504), Smoketown, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power during the climb for undetermined reasons, resulting in a forced landing.

## Other reports on N40504 (2)

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

- [Incident 19900728045609I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900728045609I), Jul 28, 1990: Piper PA23250 (N40504), Teterboro, NJ. Cockpit door opened after departure. Returned. Landed without incident.
- [Incident 19840531035169I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840531035169I), May 31, 1984: Piper PA23250 (N40504), Collegeville, PA, Minor damage. Landed gear up after being forced to goaround due to traffic.

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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