Piper PA-23-180 accident near Fairfield, AZ
On March 5, 1994, a Piper PA-23-180 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Fairfield, AZ. 2 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- March 5, 1994
- Place
- Fairfield, AZ
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-180 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 2 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 33.474°N, 112.135°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001206X00926
NTSB summary
On March 5, 1994, at 1100 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-23- 180, N2142P, collided with terrain following an in-flight loss of control near Fairfield, Arizona. The accident sequence was precipitated by the flight instructor inadvertently feathering the left propeller. The aircraft was operated by Proflight of Las Vegas, Nevada, and was on a dual instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the instructional flight. The airplane was substantially damaged upon colliding with terrain about 10 miles south of the airport in the state of Arizona. The airline transport certificated instructor pilot and the second pilot, who was receiving instruction for a multiengine flight instructor rating, were seriously injured. The two passengers were not injured. The flight originated from Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 5, 1994, at 0815 Pacific standard time as a dual instructional flight. According to the pilot under instruction and the passengers, during the accident flight the flight instructor was in the final process of preparing the second pilot to take his multiengine flight instructor check ride. At the completion of the (accident) flight, the second pilot had planned to use the airplane for the check flight. The occupants further reported that after completing a touch-and- go landing at St. George, Utah, the airplane climbed between 200 and 300 feet above the 2,938-foot mean sea level field elevation. Then, the flight instructor attempted to retard the left engine's throttle, but accidentally retarded the left engine's propeller control. The left
Probable cause
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADVERTENT MOVEMENT OF THE LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER CONTROL INTO THE FEATHER POSITION, HIS DECISION TO BY-PASS SUITABLE LANDING SITES IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE LEFT ENGINE AS THE AIRCRAFT ENERGY AND PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY DETERIORATED, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN AIRPSEED AT OR ABOVE VMC, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND HIS INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE
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Browse: Arizona · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
