Piper PA-23-250 accident near Newville, Alabama, October 23, 1994
On October 23, 1994 at about 8:03 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N999BW, was destroyed in an accident near Newville, Alabama. 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
FAILURE OF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO PROPERLY INSTALL THE MARMON CLAMP ON THE DISCHARGE SIDE OF THE TURBOCHARGER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1994 · about 8:03 pm local time
- Place
- Newville, Alabama · 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
- N999BW · registry record · serial 27-3242
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON THE ENGINE TURBO-CHARGERS & EXHAUST SYSTEMS SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. AFTER DEPARTURE, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER & HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE HEADING TOWARD THE AIRPORT WITH AN ORANGE GLOW UNDER THE LEFT WING ABOUT FOUR FEET OUTBOARD OF THE FUSELAGE. THE WITNESS SAID THERE WAS A LOUD POP, THE LEFT WING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE, & THE PLANE FELL TO THE GROUND. INSPECTION REVEALED EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE IN THE AREA OF THE LEFT WHEEL WELL & SPAR, BEHIND THE FIREWALL, IMMEDIATELY AFT OF THE TURBO-CHARGER EXHAUST. FUEL LINES IN THE WHEEL WELL AREA HAD BURNED AWAY. THE LEFT ENGINE TURBOCHARGER TAIL PIPE & MARMON CONNECTOR CLAMP WERE MISSING. THE ENGINES HAD BEEN EQUIPPED WITH AIRESEARCH TURBOCHARGERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH STC SA909WE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,503 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 1,997 as pilot in command; 124 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,996 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 28, 1994; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-J4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DHN Dothan AL at 7:45 pm
- Destination: NONE Jonesboro GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from DHN, 12 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.