Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rapid City, South Dakota 57701
Tuesady, June 6, 1995 23:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS FLYING IN INTERMITTENT RAIN AT 10,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. HE TURNED ON ALTERNATE AIR TO BOTH ENGINES AND NOTED THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATED 43 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. HE BEGAN LOSING RPM ON THE LEFT ENGINE. HE ELECTED NOT TO FEATHER THE PROPELLER BECAUSE HE BELIEVED HE WAS GETTING 'MINIMAL RPM PERFORMANCE.' DESCENDING THROUGH 8,000 FEET HE NOTED THE TEMPERATURE WAS 39 TO 40 DEGREES AND THE RIGHT ENGINE DROPPED 200-300 RPM. HE MADE AN OFF AIRPORT, FORCED LANDING WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED FUEL WAS AVAILABLE ON THE AIRPLANE. THE LEFT ENGINE STARTED UNEVENTFULLY WHEN IT WAS TESTED AND PERFORMED NORMALLY UP TO A MANIFOLD PRESSURE OF 25 INCHES OF MERCURY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to feather the propeller on the left engine during the descent. A factor was the carburetor icing weather condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/6/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2345
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City RAPID CITY
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57701
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 6
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
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 2348 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID RAP
Elevation of weather observation facility 3202
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 3200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 825
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 20 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 805
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N55362
NTSB Number CHI95LA193
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-34-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7350205
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 2 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAY'S FLIGHT SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 21904 HEMPSTEAD HWY
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77040
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GCK
Departure City GARDEN CITY
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code RAP
Destination City
Destination State SD
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 --