# NTSB SEA93LA208: Piper PA-23-150, N200X, Salt Lake City, UT, September 27, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 26, 1993, 23:30 local (Sep 27, 1993, 06:30 UTC) - Place: Salt Lake City, UT - Coordinates: 40.840003, -111.899612 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8400&lon=-111.8996&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 2, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 41774 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA93LA208 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/41774/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA93LA208 ## Probable cause A POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS INCLUDE A FENCE, AN ANIMAL, AND A DITCH IN THE LANDING ROLL PATH. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, takeoff - initial climb - 1 engine - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - animal(s) (contributing factor) - object - fence (contributing factor) - terrain condition - ditch (contributing factor) ## Analysis DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE RIGHT ENGINE EXPERIENCED AN INTERMITTENT POWER LOSS. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, ESTABLISHED A DESCENT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, AND IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM ENGINE. AFTER THE ENGINE WAS PULLED TO IDLE, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO ATTEMPT A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SUCCESSFUL, BUT DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A COW, A FENCE, AND THEN A DITCH. THE POST-CRASH INVESTIGATION AND ENGINE INSPECTION WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE A REASON FOR THE POWER SURGE/LOSS. ## Factual narrative On September 26, 1993, at 2330 mountain standard time (MST), a Piper PA-23-150, N200X, collided with objects during a forced landing initiated just after takeoff from Salt Lake City International Airport, Salt Lake City, Utah. The certified flight instructor received minor injuries, his student was not injured, and the aircraft, which was being operated in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident, sustained substantial damage. The flight, which was departing for Provo Municipal Airport, Provo, Utah, was not on a filed flight plan, and there was no report of an ELT activation. According to the CFI, the pre-flight, taxi, run-up, and takeoff were all normal with no sign of impending problems. During the initial climb, as the aircraft reached an altitude of about 150 feet and an airspeed of 100 mph, one engine experienced an intermittent loss of power. At that point, the airspeed dropped rapidly to just below 80 mph, and the CFI took control of the aircraft. Because the engine was surging off and on, the CFI initially had difficulty determining which engine was experiencing the problem. He checked the fuel pumps on, confirmed the mixture, throttle, and propeller levers were full forward, and then attempted to identify the surging engine. The CFI said that because they were drifting to the right, he felt that the right engine must be the one that was experiencing the intermittent power loss. He therefore slowly retarded the right throttle, which confirmed the right engine as the one that was malfunctioning. As the engine power was being reduced, it appeared to regain a consistent power output near the idle position. During the identification and verification process, the pilot initiated a gradual descent in order to maintain sufficient airspeed. After the engine was brought to idle, the aircraft continued to descend, and the pilot elected to attempt a forced landing in a field just off the end of the runway. The touchdown was successful, but during the landing roll, the aircraft hit a cow, went through an airport fence, and impacted a ditch. During an inspection of the engine's ignition, fuel, and air induction systems by an FAA Airworthiness Inspector, no failed or malfunctioning parts or components were able to be identified. The engine was later subjected to an FAA supervised test run at Utah State University. During that run, the ignition lead from the left magneto to the number three cylinder began to malfunction after about eight minutes of operation. That lead was replaced, and the engine was found to run normal up to and including full power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N200X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N200X-1997-06-04), registration cancelled 1997-06-04, S/N 23931 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-23-150 - Registry model: [Piper PA-23-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-150) (registry code 7102303) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 23-931 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-A1B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Fields, Jim, doing business as Brothers Air Inc. - Registered owner: Fields, Jim - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 3, 1993 - Destination: PVU, PROVO, UT - Airport: SLC, Salt Lake City Inter., runway 34, 12,003 × 150 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 32; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 1,410 total, 25 in this make and model, 1,240 as pilot in command, 110 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 160° at 7 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SLC, 1 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930926036659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930926036659A), Sep 26, 1993: Piper PA23150, Salt Lake City, UT, Substantial damage. Right engine surging on climbout. Reduced power. Engine idled. Forced down hit cow and ditch. Bad magneto lead. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.