On August 18, 2005, a Piper PA-23-250 (registration N40504) was involved in an aviation accident near Smoketown, PA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A loss of engine power during the climb for undetermined reasons, resulting in a forced landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
After takeoff, a flight instructor experienced a power surge and yaw, unable to identify the malfunctioning engine. He retracted gear and climbed, but airspeed decayed. A forced landing resulted in substantial damage; no mechanical failure was found.
Incident Details
After departing the runway, the flight instructor detected a sudden power surge and a yawing motion; however, he could not determine which engine was malfunctioning. After verifying that the engine controls were in the correct positions, he took control of the airplane from the student pilot. To reduce aerodynamic drag, he retracted the landing gear and continued the climb. The airspeed subsequently decreased toward the minimum controllable airspeed. He then decided to perform a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the airplane found no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction.
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