Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Show Low Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Showlow, Arizona 85901
Friday, December 17, 1993 14:00 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
DURING THE EN ROUTE PHASE OF FLIGHT, THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT SELECTED BOTH INBOARD FUEL TANKS, AND THE RIGHT ENGINE BEGAN TO COUGH AND SURGE. THE PILOT TRYED TO REPOSITION THE SELECTOR VALVE TO THE OUTBOARD TANKS, BUT WITHOUT SUCCESS AND THE ENG CONTINUED TO SURGE. THE PILOT DID NOT SECURE THE RIGHT ENGINE OR FEATHER ITS PROPELLER, AND DIVERTED TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT. THE PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY PLAN THE APPROACH, AND THE AIRPLANE'S AIRSPEED WAS TOO FAST AND ITS ALTITUDE WAS TOO HIGH TO NEGOTIATE THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT EXECUTED A GO-AROUND AND APPLIED FULL POWER TO BOTH ENGINES. THE RIGHT ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT GAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON A DIRT ROAD AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM DISCLOSED THAT THE RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR VALVE LINKAGE WAS BENT AND THE VALVE WAS POSITIONED SLIGHTLY OFF THE OFF POSITION.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's poorly planned approach, improper emergency procedures, and his failure to feather the propeller. The inoperative fuel selector valve was a factor in this accident.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/17/1993 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1400 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | SHOWLOW |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85901 |
| Event Date Year | 1993 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | SHOW LOW MUNICIPAL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SOW |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 345 |
| Airport Elevation | 6412 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1938 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 165 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SOW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6412 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 2 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 20000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 40 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 5 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 30 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 3 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1993 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 17 1993 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1450 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 25 2006 4:01PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\ZUZL |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8769B |
| NTSB Number | LAX94LA074 |
| 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 | 27-2501 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4800 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 8 1993 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 42 |
| Airframe Hours | 5918 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | JOHN C. MORRISON |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P. O. BOX 2022 |
| Aircraft Owner City | NEWPORT BEACH |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 92663 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | JOHN C. MORRISON |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | P. O. BOX 2022 |
| Operator City | NEWPORT BEACH |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 92663 |
| 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 | SNA |
| Departure City | ORANGE COUNTY |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 900 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PVW |
| Destination City | PLAINVIEW |
| Destination State | TX |
| 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 | 24 |
| Runway Length | 6000 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |