Piper PA-23-250 accident near Manteo, North Carolina, July 26, 1991
On July 26, 1991 at about 10:15 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N54746, was destroyed in an accident near Manteo, North Carolina (Dare County Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF LEFT ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM CONTROLLABLE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN THE STALLING OF THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1991 · about 10:15 am local time
- Place
- Manteo, North Carolina · Dare County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N54746 · no longer on the register · serial 27-7554059
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING THE EARLY MORNING TAKEOFF, FOLLOWED BY POPPING AND SPUTTERING NOISES. WHILE MANEUVERING BACK TO THE AIRFIELD, THE AIRPLANE STALLED, AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AT A STEEP ANGLE. INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE GEAR AND FLAPS WERE DOWN, AND THE LEFT PROPELLER APPEARED TO BE FEATHERED. THE RIGHT ENGINE PROPELLER SHOWED EVIDENCE OF POWER AT IMPACT. DESPITE SIGNIFICANT POST-CRASH FIRE DAMAGE, NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL ENGINE FAILURE WAS FOUND. CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,299 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Brookfield Aviation, INC
The flight
- Destination: ISP Islip NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from MQI, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.