Portland Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Westbrook, Maine 04092
Saturday, March 23, 1991 16:08 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON AN IFR FLIGHT IN IMC CONDITIONS THE RIGHT ENGINE STARTED TO SHUDDER AND PRODUCE BLACK SMOKE, AND THEN THE PROPELLER WENT INTO FEATHER WITHOUT ACTUATION OF THE PROPELLER CONTROL. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE RIGHT ENGINE OIL WAS DILUTED BY GASOLINE, DUE TO A LEAK IN THE ACCELERATOR PUMP OF THE CARBURETOR WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO RUN RICH. INTERVIEWS DISCLOSED THE PILOT HAD 'DENIAL' ON THE ENGINE PROBLEM, DID NOT SECURE THE ENGINE, AND DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY WITH ARC. BOTH ENGINES WERE HIGH TIME WITH HIGH TIME SINCE OVERHAUL. HARTZELL PROPELLERS PERSONNEL VERIFIED DILUTED OIL COULD CAUSE A PROPELLER TO GO INTO UNCOMMANDED FEATHER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND FLIGHT TIME IN TYPE OF AIRPLANE, THE PILOTS DECISION TO TAKE AN AIRPLANE WITH A KNOWN MECHANICAL DEFECT, A LEAKY ACCELERATOR PUMP SEAL ON THE CARBURETOR, AND INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/23/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1608
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WESTBROOK
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04092
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PORTLAND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PWM
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1611 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID PWM
Elevation of weather observation facility 74
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 23
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 84
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43095
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4155P
NTSB Number NYC91LA092
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 23-1639
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 28 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 131
Airframe Hours 5297
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PHOENIX EAST AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 492 SUTTON ST.
Aircraft Owner City NORTH ANDOVER
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01845
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PHOENIX EAST AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 492 SUTTON ST.
Operator City NORTH ANDOVER
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 01845
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 MLT
Departure City MILLINOCKET
Departure State ME
Departure Country
Departure Time 1440
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LWM
Destination City LAWRENCE
Destination State MA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --