Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Benton Harbor, Michigan 49022
Tuesady, February 7, 1995 15:20 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 7,000 MEAN SEA LEVEL, THE AIRPLANE SUFFERED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS TO THE RIGHT ENGINE, WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THAT ENGINE. THE PILOT TRIED MIXTURES FORWARD (RICH), BOOST PUMPS ON, AND FUEL BACK ON MAIN TANKS. WHEN HE TRIED CARBURETOR HEAT, IT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF 300 RPM, WHICH HE CONSIDERED NORMAL, AND HE TURNED IT OFF AFTER 30 TO 45 SECONDS. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CONDUCT AN ILS APPROACH IN IMC CONDITIONS, BUT THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT THEN INITIATED A FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE BROKE OUT OF THE OVERCAST ABOUT 600 TO 900 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW RESTRICTING VISIBILITY, PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH WIRES AND A TREE, DURING THE LANDING. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ABOUT FIVE MILES EAST OF THE AIRPORT. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION REVEALED NO PREEXISTING ANOMALIES.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's improper use of carburetor heat. Factors were carburetor icing conditions, snow, and blowing snow.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/7/1995 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1520 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | BENTON HARBOR |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49022 |
| Event Date Year | 1995 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Unknown |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1535 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BEH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 643 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1200 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 1 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 20 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 29 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 74 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 7 1995 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1815 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 7 2000 4:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2092P |
| NTSB Number | CHI95LA085 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-23 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-23 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 23-680 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3500 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 15 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 83 |
| Airframe Hours | 4649 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HOFFMEYER, RONALD A. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 48 W 841 IMMELMAN LANE |
| Aircraft Owner City | HAMPSHIRE |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 60140 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | UGN |
| Departure City | WAUKEGAN |
| Departure State | IL |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1330 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 1D2 |
| Destination City | PLYMOUTH |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |