Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elmwood Park, New Jersey 07407
Sunday, March 28, 1993 16:32 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN INSTRUMENT CLIMB-OUT FROM TETERBORO AIRPORT, THE PILOT WAS ADVISED BY DEPARTURE CONTROL THAT HE WAS IN RADAR CONTACT, AND TO CLIMB & MAINTAIN 4000 FT. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THIS TRANSMISSION AT A RADAR RECORDED ALTITUDE OF 1800 FT MSL. THE FLIGHT WAS RECORDED REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF 2800 FT MSL BEFORE STARTING A DESCENT. NUMEROUS WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DESCENDING OUT OF THE CLOUDS; ONE WITNESS DESCRIBED THE DESCENT AS A SPIN WITH NO FORWARD MOTION. ON-SCENE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT PROP SHOWED ONE BLADE BENT AFT APRX 120 DEG; OTHER BLADE STRAIGHT & NOT BENT. PROP WAS NOT IN FEATHERED POSITION. LEFT ENG TEARDOWN REVEALED 2 OF 6 FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLES RESTRICTED. LAST DOCUMENTED FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM CLEANING WAS IN 1985; BENDIX (MANUFACTURER) RECOMMENDS EVERY ANNUAL INSPECTION OR 100 HRS. THE AIRPLANE WAS 188 LBS OVER MAX GROSS WEIGHT; CG APRX 1 INCH AFT OF MAX AFT LIMIT. AFT CG INCREASES VMC AIRSPEED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF THE FUEL INJECTOR SYSTEM RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER OF THE LEFT ENGINE, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A FLAT SPIN. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT LOADING THE AIRPLANE OVER THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AND BEYOND THE AFT CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT, THUS RAISING THE MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/28/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1632
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ELMWOOD PARK
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07407
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 3
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID TEB
Elevation of weather observation facility 9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
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) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 6
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 472
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 28 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1654
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52158
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6382Y
NTSB Number NYC93FA066
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-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-3666
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 May 3 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 49
Airframe Hours 3295
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALAN B. FLEISCHMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 156 SOUTHERN HILANDS DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City UPPER ST CLAIR
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15241
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALAN B. FLEISCHMAN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 156 SOUTHERN HILANDS DRIVE
Operator City UPPER ST CLAIR
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 15241
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TEB
Departure City TETERBORO
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1625
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AGC
Destination City PITTSBURGH
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --