Fatal Piper PA-23-150 Crash in Missouri (N1486P)

Accident Overview and Flight Details On August 29, 2012, at approximately 1800 central daylight time, a Piper PA-23-150, registration N1486P, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after a partial loss of power. The aircraft impacted trees and terrain about 3 miles southwest of Canton, Missouri, resulting in fatal injuries to the pilot and passenger. The flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight, departed from Pinckneyville-DuQuoin Airport (PJY) in Illinois at 1600 and was en route to a private airstrip near Blakesburg, Iowa. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the aircraft was flying under visual flight rules with transponder code 1200. No radar track data was available to identify the aircraft's actual route of flight. A witness at Wakonda State Park observed the twin-engine airplane at approximately 2,000 feet in level flight with the left propeller blades not rotating. Another witness near the accident site reported hearing a crunching sound at 1745 but did not see the impact. ## Personnel and Aircraft Information The 74-year-old pilot held a commercial certificate with single-engine land, single-engine sea, and multi-engine land ratings, along with an A&P mechanic's rating and inspection authorization. He had approximately 6,459 total flight hours and 809 multi-engine hours. The aircraft, serial number 23-255, was manufactured in 1956 and powered by 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320 engines. It featured a Super Custom configuration with two 18-gallon auxiliary fuel tanks and a fifth passenger seat, with a maximum gross weight of 3,500 pounds. The aircraft's total time was 5,724 hours, with the left engine at 3,609 hours and the right engine at 3,624 hours. The last annual inspection was completed on October 15, 2011, by the pilot. The estimated takeoff weight was approximately 3,540 pounds, or 3,756 pounds if the auxiliary tanks were full. ## Wreckage and Impact Analysis The aircraft impacted a 60-70 foot tree in an area of rolling hills, woods, and open fields. The debris field was on a 100-degree magnetic heading. The left wing was separated from the fuselage, and the left engine was separated from the wing. The right engine's instrument needles were in the operating range, while the left engine's needles were at low or zero readings. The left engine's throttle, mixture, and propeller controls were pulled back relative to the right engine's controls. The left wing gascolator bowl contained a blue silicon jell-type sealant covering about two-thirds of the area where a gasket is typically placed. No gasket was found in the gascolator. The blue jell was observed to deteriorate gradually after removal. Fuel testing showed only a trace amount of water. Both engines were rotated by hand and exhibited compression and spark. The left engine's spark plugs were carbon fouled except for the No. 3 cylinder. ## Tests and Research The NTSB retained the fuel primers and spark plugs from both engines for further testing. The fuel primers showed no leaks or anomalies when tested. The left engine's spark plugs were installed in a Piper Cherokee with a 160-horsepower Lycoming O-320 engine, which started immediately and operated normally. A test using Permatex Blue RTV Silicone Gasket Maker in an exemplary gascolator showed that the silicone expanded inside the bowl when filled with 100 low lead aviation fuel, similar to the blue silicone jell observed in the accident aircraft. The product's directions state it is not recommended for use on parts in contact with gasoline. An iFly GPS unit was found in the aircraft, but the Scan disk flash card that stored non-volatile memory was missing. ## Medical and Pathological Information An autopsy of the pilot was conducted on August 31, 2012. The cause of death was blunt trauma to the head, trunk, and extremities secondary to an airplane crash. Forensic toxicology results were negative for carbon monoxide and cyanide. Ethanol was detected in the urine but not in the blood. Cetirizine, an over-the-counter sedating antihistamine, was detected in the blood at 0.018 ug/mL, which is below the therapeutic low level of 0.1900 ug/mL. Postmortem urine glucose levels were abnormal at 171 mg/dL, and hemoglobin A1C blood levels were abnormal at 8.6%.