- Date
- August 16, 1990, 14:42 local (19:42 UTC)
- Place
- Odell, IL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4231PPiper PA-23-160
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900816033149A
- Case key
- 14546
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A loss of left engine power due to oil accumulation in the right magneto and a non-usable spark lead from the left magneto. In addition, the right engine was unable to provide adequate power to maintain altitude due to a partial blockage in the carburetor by a section of air intake duct which caused the engine to run rich.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During flight the left engine began running rough and vibrating severely, and it was shut down. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude on the right engine and a forced landing was made in an alfalfa field. Examination revealed that the left engines right magneto had an accumulation of oil inside its case. In addition, the spark plug lead from the left magneto for the #1 cylinder was internally damaged. Examination of the right engine revealed that the intake duct between the air filter and the carburetor was deteriorated from exposure to hot exhaust pipes. A 3' x 1/2' piece of the duct had separated and was found caught on the carburetor venturi.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4231P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1728
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B3B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joanne Bailey
- Departed
- BMI · Bloomington, IL
- Destination
- MDW · Chicago, IL
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 22
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 560 total · 75 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- BMI, 37 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.