Piper PA-23-250 accident near Sod, West Virginia, August 31, 1991
On August 31, 1991 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N5435Y, was destroyed in an accident near Sod, West Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER LEVEL OFF WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. CONTRIBUTING WAS FUEL STARVATION RESULTING IN PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 1991 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Sod, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5435Y · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS EN ROUTE WHEN HE RADIOED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL HE LOST POWER IN ONE OF THE ENGINES. ATC LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH THE PILOT SOON AFTERWARDS. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE CIRCLED AND THEN LANDED IN A FIELD. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD AND THEN ROLLED OVER. COLLAPSING THE FUSELAGE. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED ROTATIONAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT PROPELLER, AND RELATIVELY NO DAMAGE TO THE LEFT PROPELLER. AN INSPECTION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE REVEALED FUEL IN THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL INJECTOR UNIT; HOWEVER, THE SAME COMPONENTS OF THE LEFT ENGINE WERE ABSENT OF FUEL. THE LEAKAGE OF FUEL FROM THE FUEL TANKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIRPLANE DAMAGE PRECLUDED DETERMINATION OF THE FUEL ABOARD WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
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
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 38 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HTO Huntington WV at 11:38 pm
- Destination: CRW Charleston WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.