MANTEO, NC, USA
N54746
PIPER PA-23-250
WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING THE EARLY MORNING TAKEOFF, FOLLOWED BY POPPING AND SPUTTERING NOISES. WHILE MANEUVERING BACK TO THE AIRFIELD, THE AIRPLANE STALLED, AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AT A STEEP ANGLE. INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE GEAR AND FLAPS WERE DOWN, AND THE LEFT PROPELLER APPEARED TO BE FEATHERED. THE RIGHT ENGINE PROPELLER SHOWED EVIDENCE OF POWER AT IMPACT. DESPITE SIGNIFICANT POST-CRASH FIRE DAMAGE, NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL ENGINE FAILURE WAS FOUND. CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM.
THE LOSS OF LEFT ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM CONTROLLABLE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN THE STALLING OF THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
