On November 1, 2013, a Piper PA-23-250 crashed near the Houston County Airport (KCHU) in Caledonia, Minnesota. The aircraft, registration N6068Y, was operating as a cross-country flight under 14 CFR Part 91 from Oakland/Troy Airport (KVLL) in Michigan to KCHU.
What happened
At approximately 1515 CDT, the aircraft impacted terrain in an open soybean field located about 590 feet northeast of the runway at KCHU. The flight crew and passengers included a private pilot, a pilot-rated passenger, and two additional passengers. The accident resulted in 3 fatal injuries and 1 serious injury.
Prior to the accident, the pilot had filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan and was cleared for a GPS-A approach. However, the pilot canceled the IFR clearance at approximately 1405. There were no further communications or distress calls from the aircraft. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with a visibility of 10 miles and winds from 320 degrees at 7 knots.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found the landing gear and flaps were in the retracted positions. The impact sequence was consistent with the right wing striking the ground first, followed by the right engine and the fuselage. The right engine had completely separated from the wing, while the left engine and mount had mostly separated but remained near the left wing. Both wings sustained extensive damage.
Mechanical examination of the Lycoming IO-540 engines showed no abnormalities. Both engines produced suction and compression during testing, and the magnetos functioned correctly. The fuel systems, including fuel pumps and servos, contained residual fuel and were free of contaminants. While propeller blades showed bending consistent with the impact, no engine or airframe defects were identified that would have prevented the engines from producing rated power.