Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ely, Minnesota 55731
Thursday, May 27, 1993 13:20 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE PILOT REPORTED THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER WHILE THE FLIGHT WAS CRUISING AT 7,000' MSL. HE SAID HE FEATHERED THE LEFT PROP, BUT CONTINUED TO LOSE ALTITUDE. HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, AND MADE A FORCED LANDING INTO TREE TOPS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S MAIN LANDING GEAR HAD KEPT 'SAGGING' THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT, AND HE WAS REQUIRED TO PLACE THE MAIN GEAR SELECTOR IN THE 'UP' POSITION EVERY 3 TO 5 MINUTES. HE SAID THE GEAR PROBLEM WAS APPARENTLY CAUSED BY A SLOW LEAK IN THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM, AND THAT IT HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR REPAIR. HE WROTE IN HIS REPORT TO THE NTSB: 'IN RETROSPECT, I BELIEVE THIS SEEMINGLY MINOR PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN OF CRITICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN CAUSING THIS PROBLEM...I MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS THE SOURCE OF DRAG...AND AVOID THE CRASH-LANDING.' AN EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT ENGINE AFTER THE ACCIDENT DISCLOSED WATER AND DEBRIS IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND BLACKENED SPARK PLUGS.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's decision to continue flight with a known deficiency in the airplane's hydraulic system. Factors associated with the accident are the loss of power in the left engine due to fuel contamination, and a leak in the hydraulic system.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/27/1993 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1320 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | ELY |
| Event State | MINNESOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 55731 |
| Event Date Year | 1993 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| 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 | 1300 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ELO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1455 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 4 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 900 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Partial Obscuration |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Obscured |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 8 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| 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 | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1634 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 27 1993 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1430 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 1:18PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3333P |
| NTSB Number | CHI93LA184 |
| 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-23-160 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-23-160 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 23-1284 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 26 1993 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 88 |
| Airframe Hours | 6965 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CRYSTAL SHAMROCK, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6000 DOUGLAS DRIVE N. |
| Aircraft Owner City | MINNEAPOLIS |
| Aircraft Owner State | MN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 55429 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | CRYSTAL SHAMROCK, INC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 6000 DOUGLAS DRIVE N. |
| Operator City | MINNEAPOLIS |
| Operator State | MN |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 55429 |
| 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 | 03Y |
| Departure City | HALLOCK |
| Departure State | MN |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1100 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | CKC |
| Destination City | GRAND MARAIS |
| Destination State | MN |
| 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 | 0 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |