- Date
- November 14, 1991, 10:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Coffeyville, KS
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5935PPiper PA-24-180
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911114051479A
- Case key
- 15271
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 failure to maintain sufficient airspeed (above stall speed) during the emergency procedure. Related factors are the pilot's poor planning/decision, inattentiveness, and the weather (low ceiling, gusty tailwinds).
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
The pilot took off with full fuel tanks and flew for about 2 hours 15 minutes before the accident occurred. The airplane was observed near the accident site, flying erratically beneath a 300 to 400 foot ceiling in strong, gusty wind conditions. Witnesses reported the engine seemed to be cutting in and out. The airplane was northbound with a 25 to 40 knot tailwind when it was observed to pitch up abruptly, rotate left, and nose down into the ground. Post-accident examination of airframe, powerplant and systems revealed no evidence of pre-impact failure/difficulty. The left fuel tank was nearly full of fuel. The right fuel tank was compromised at impact, however there was no evidence of fuel spillage at the accident site. The landing gear was extended, fuel boost pump was on, and the fuel selector was jammed in an intermediate position. Fuel consumption calculations (using 75%) indicated as much as half the available fuel may have been burned.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5935P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-1025
- Airframe hours
- 5,329
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Gamache, Joseph C
- Registered owner
- Gamache, Joseph C
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 1991 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- 4M4 · Clinton, AR
- Destination
- K50 · Derby, KS
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
- 65
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 764 total · 469 in this make and model · 17 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 25 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 1 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.