# NTSB NYC87LA135: Piper PA-23-250, N13808, Portland, ME, April 28, 1987

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 28, 1987, 03:45 local (07:45 UTC)
- Place: Portland, ME
- Location: 43.6332° N, 70.1853° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Portland, ME, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.6332&lon=-70.1853&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report October 6, 1988
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 30637
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC87LA135
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/30637/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC87LA135

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, missed approach (ifr)
  - weather condition - icing conditions
  - flight into known adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (cause)
- Loss of control - in flight, approach - iaf to faf/outer marker (ifr)
  - wing - ice (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE PILOT OF THE PA-23 WAS ATTEMPTING AN NDB APPROACH INTO THE PORTLAND, ME. INT'L JETPORT. THE WX WAS RPT'D AS MODERATE TURBULENCE AND MODERATE OR GREATER ICING, THE ICING LEVEL WAS RPT'D FROM THE SURFACE TO 16000 FT. PRIOR TO THIS NDB APPROACH THE PILOT HAD ATTEMPTED AN ILS TO THIS AIRPORT. HE HAD BEEN ADVISED THAT IT WAS RPT'D OUT OF SERVICE. BOTH APPROACHES WERE TO RWY 11. THE PILOT WAS LOCATED APPROX 10 HRS LATER TRAPPED IN THE WRECKAGE OF THE ACFT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N13808](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N13808-1990-02-16), registration cancelled 1990-02-16, S/N 274453 (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)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 27-4453
- Airframe hours: 8646
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-C4B5 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Part 135
- Registered owner: Corporate Air
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: 100 hour, February 23, 1987, 88 hours before
- Departed: HFD, HARTFORD, CT
- Destination: PWM, PORTLAND, ME
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 45; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 8,800 total, 2,900 in this make and model, 130 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 360° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 300 ft
- Temperature: 34 °F
- Observed at: PWM, 6 nm away

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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