# NTSB BFO89FA009: Piper PA-23-250, N63762, Towson, MD, November 11, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: November 11, 1988, 16:35 local (21:35 UTC)
- Place: Towson, MD
- Coordinates: 39.389411, -76.619247 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3894&lon=-76.6192&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report March 25, 1991
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 11450
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO89FA009
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11450/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO89FA009

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power, cruise
  - 1 engine
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)
- Loss of control - in flight, cruise
  - initiated
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

ABOUT 6 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, AFTER LEVELING AT 3500 FT, THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS HAVING A PROBELM THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO FIGURE OUT. A FEW MINUTES LATER, HE REPEATED THE SAME PROBLEM & ELECTED TO DIVERT TO A NEARBY ARPT. WITNESSES RPRTD THE ACFT REVERSED COURSE SVRL TIMES, & AT LEAST ONCE, IT ENTERED A SPIN, BUT RECOVERED. RPRTDLY, IT THEN BEGAN CLIMBING BUT ENTERED A 2ND SPIN & CRASHED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, DAMAGING 2 HOUSES. TWO WITNESSES RPRTD THE LEFT ENG HAD EITHER STOPPED OR WAS WINDMILLING BEFORE THE ACFT CRASHED. RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ACFT HAD TURNED LEFT FOR A TOTAL OF 360 DEGS, WITH SVRL ALTITUDE EXCURSIONS, WITHIN A .45 MI RADIUS. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE WAS FOUND, BUT THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY IMPACT & FIRE. ONE OF THE RGT PROP BLADES WAS BENT APRX 145 DEG OPPOSITE OF THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION, THE OTHER RGT PROP BLADE WAS RELATIVELY STRAIGHT WITH COMPRESSION DEFORMATION. BOTH LEFT PROP BLADES WERE FOUND AT A LOW PITCH SETTING WITH ONE BLADE BENT AFT APRX 60 DEG & THE OTHER BLADE BENT FORWARD ABOUT 15 DEG.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N63762](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N63762-2013-04-29), registration cancelled 2013-04-29, S/N 27-7754080, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-23-250
- Registry model: [Piper PA-23-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (registry code 7102308) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 27-7754080
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-C4B5 250 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Sheldon D. Fineman
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, July 15, 1988
- Departed: BWI, BALTIMORE, MD
- Destination: PNE, PHILADELPHIA, PA

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 2,400 total, 1,500 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 310° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: BWI

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19881111050529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19881111050529A), Nov 11, 1988: Piper PA23250, Towson, MD, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Indicates emergency window separated from aircraft. Pilot lost control entered spin. Crashed in residential area.

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.

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