- Date
- November 29, 1990, 10:16 local (16:16 UTC)
- Place
- Des Moines, IA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N1879WPiper PA-31T2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901129052179A
- Case key
- 14889
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
The pilot's improper emergency procedures by not feathering the left engine after it lost power and/or was shut down, and his failure to keep the aircraft at or above the minimum control airspeed (VMC), which resulted in a loss of aircraft control. A factor related to the accident was: an undetermined problem concerning the left engine that caused it to lose power or prompted the pilot to shut it down.
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
On final approach, after being cleared to land, the pilot informed the controller that he might have to shut down an engine. He declined to declare an emergency or request assistance. On short final, the aircraft was observed to roll to the left and descent into the terrain. Subsequent examination revealed evidence that the left engine was not developing power, although the left propeller was not feathered. There was evidence that the right engine was producing high power during impact. No mechanical deficiency of the left engine or propeller was found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1879W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31T2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31T-8166065
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-135, 620 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Century Life Of America
- Departed
- MSN · Madison, WI
- Destination
- DSM
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- DSM · Des Moines Intl, runway 30R, 9,001 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 7,754 total · 4,093 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- DSM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.