- Date
- March 23, 1991, 16:08 local (21:08 UTC)
- Place
- Westbrook, ME
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4155PPiper PA-23-160
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910323007299A
- Case key
- 36893
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
Improper emergency procedures by the pilot. Factors related to the accident were: the pilot's lack of experience and flight time in type of airplane, the pilots decision to take an airplane with a known mechanical defect, a leaky accelerator pump seal on the carburetor, and instrument meteorological conditions.
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 an IFR flight in IMC conditions the right engine started to shudder and produce black smoke, and then the propeller went into feather without actuation of the propeller control. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and the pilot made a forced landing in an open field. The right engine oil was diluted by gasoline, due to a leak in the accelerator pump of the carburetor which caused the engine to run rich. Interviews disclosed the pilot had 'denial' on the engine problem, did not secure the engine, and did not declare an emergency with arc. Both engines were high time with high time since overhaul. Hartzell propellers personnel verified diluted oil could cause a propeller to go into uncommanded feather.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4155P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 23-1639
- Airframe hours
- 5,297
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Phoenix East Aviation
- Registered owner
- Phoenix East Aviation
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 28, 1990 · 131 hours before
- Departed
- MLT · Millinocket, ME
- Destination
- LWM · Lawrence, MA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- PWM · Portland
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
- 23
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 975 total · 31 in this make and model · 904 as pilot in command · 139 in the last 90 days · 66 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 14 knots, gusting 23
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft
- Observed at
- PWM, 6 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.