Piper PA-24-250 accident near Kinston, North Carolina, February 21, 1994
On February 21, 1994 at about 6:37 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N6253P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kinston, North Carolina (Kinston Regional Jetport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO A PARTIAL BLOCKAGE OF THE INDUCTION AIR SYSTEM BY A FOREIGN OBJECT (SILICON BAFFLING MATERIAL).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 1994 · about 6:37 pm local time
- Place
- Kinston, North Carolina · Kinston Regional Jetport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6253P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1360
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AT ABOUT 500 FEET MSL DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE STARTED A LEFT TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. AFTER CLEARING SOME TREES, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FORCE LANDED IN A GRASSY AREA. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED A PIECE OF SILICON BAFFLING MATERIAL, 8 INCHES BY ONE INCH, LODGED INSIDE THE CARBURETOR AIRBOX, WITH 2 INCHES OF THIS MATERIAL EXTENDING INTO THE CARBURETOR VENTURI. WHEN THE MATERIAL WAS REMOVED, THE ENGINE RAN NORMALLY DURING A TEST RUN. THE ORIGIN OF THE FOREIGN MATERIAL COULD NOT BE DETERMINED, AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS DID NOT REVEAL ANY RECENT WORK WHICH WOULD REQUIRE SUCH A MATERIAL.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,940 hours in all; 1,240 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,940 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 1993; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MHT Manchester NH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from ISO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N6253P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.