On May 4, 1986, a Piper PA-23-150 (registration N1373P) was involved in an aviation accident near Warren, MI. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a cross-country flight, a small oil leak led the pilot to reduce power to idle. The aircraft stalled during descent and contacted the ground in a steep nose-down attitude.
Incident Details
During a cross-country flight, the aircraft developed a small oil leak. The pilot reduced engine power to idle in an effort to conserve oil, despite the oil pressure remaining within the normal range. As the aircraft descended, airspeed was not properly maintained. The aircraft subsequently stalled and contacted the ground in a steep nose-down attitude, with the power still retarded to idle.
Investigation Findings
Post-incident investigation determined that the oil leak was not severe enough to interfere with normal engine operations. The aircraft's power reduction was thus not necessitated by the oil system's condition.