On October 6, 1988, a Piper PA-23-250 (registration N6815Y) operated by Souther Field Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near LA Belle, FL. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a ferry permit flight, the pilot experienced a failure of the #4 cylinder on the left engine. The aircraft did not attain VYSE speed, began descending, and was subsequently ditched in a lake. The aircraft was not recovered. No records for the engines or airframe were available.
Event Summary
On a ferry permit flight, the pilot experienced a failure of the #4 cylinder on the left engine. As a result, the aircraft did not attain the single-engine best rate of climb speed (VYSE) and began to descend. The pilot then ditched the aircraft in a lake. The aircraft was not recovered following the ditching.
Engine Failure and Drag
The failure of the left engine caused the cowling on the inoperative engine to open. This added considerable drag to the airframe, further reducing the aircraft's airspeed.
Missing Records
Investigators noted that no records were available for the engines or the airframe, which limited the ability to assess maintenance history.