Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cannonball, North Dakota 58528
Saturday, February 20, 1993 17:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 1,000' AGL, THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER. HE STATED HE NOTED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST AND HE FEATHERED THE PROPELLER. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND HE DID NOT THINK HE COULD MAKE IT BACK TO AN AIRPORT, SO HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE GEAR-UP ON A RIVER BED. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE LEFT ENGINE INLET AIR FILTER WAS BLOCKED BY SNOW. THE RIGHT ENGINE FILTER WAS ALSO FOUND CONTAMINATED WITH SNOW. SPARK PLUG INSPECTION REVEALED THE ENGINE HAD BEEN RUNNING WITH A RICH MIXTURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE BLOCKAGE OF THE INLET AIR FILTER FROM SNOW.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/20/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CANNONBALL
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58528
Event Date Year 1993
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID BIS
Elevation of weather observation facility 1677
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 29
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4400
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) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 108
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 21 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 706
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48255
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4229P
NTSB Number CHI93LA093
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23-160
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-160
Aircraft Serial Number 23-1725
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 28 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HIF, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 23116 BAYNARD BLVD
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19802
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HIF, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 23116 BAYNARD BLVD
Operator City WILMINGTON
Operator State DE
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19802
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 PHP
Departure City PHILIP
Departure State SD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code Y19
Destination City MANDAN
Destination State ND
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight 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 --