Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Steuben, Wisconsin 54657
Monday, December 11, 1995 18:20 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO A REAR SEAT PASSENGER, THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING THROUGH HEAVY SNOW, WHEN BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER. THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED AS THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING IN INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS AT NIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AND WAS DESTROYED, WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TREES. DURING AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE ON DECEMBER 13, 1995, ICE WAS FOUND IN THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM OF BOTH ENGINES. NO OTHER AIRPLANE OR ENGINE MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING THE EXAMINATION. THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK STATED THAT ALTERNATE AIR SHOULD BE PLACED IN THE FULL 'ON' POSITION PRIOR TO ENTERING KNOWN OR EXPECTED ICING CONDITIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the pilot to select alternate air. Darkness and snowy weather conditions were related factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/11/1995
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City STEUBEN
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54657
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 12
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 2356 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID DBQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1076
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 55
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1493
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 11 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2301
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N54791
NTSB Number CHI96FA052
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-7554092
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Mar 9 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 86
Airframe Hours 6639
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SPIRT OF ST. LOUIS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7284 COUNTRY ROAD PO BOX 1373
Aircraft Owner City ST. CLOUD
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56302
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT G. TIMM
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 7
Operator City CLEARWATER
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55320
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 AUW
Departure City WAUSAU
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1540
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TUL
Destination City TULSA
Destination State OK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
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 --