Piper PA-31-350 incident near Goodland, Kansas, February 13, 2003
On February 13, 2003 at about 2:08 am local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N9247L, suffered minor damage in an incident near Goodland, Kansas (Goodland Municipal Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The partial loss of engine power to both engines for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's improper in-flight decision to not land at the nearest available airport.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 2003 · about 2:08 am local time
- Place
- Goodland, Kansas · Goodland Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N9247L · registry record · serial 8152160
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The twin engine airplane operated under FAR Part 135 sustained minor damage during a forced landing to a field after a partial loss of power to both engines during cruise flight. The destination airport was about 70 miles from the takeoff airport. The pilot reported that while climbing through 5,600 feet msl, the right engine started running rough. The right engine's manifold air pressure (MAP) eventually dropped to 18 inches. He did not secure the right engine since it was still producing some power, but he increased the left engine's MAP to 35 inches to compensate for the loss of power on the right engine. He reported the airplane was approximately 25-30 miles from the departure airport, but the pilot continued the flight to the destination airport. Approximately 20 miles from the destination airport the left engine began running rough and the left engine's MAP quickly dropped to 18 inches of MAP. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field about nine miles from the destination airport. He reported, "Assured that I could not make the airport, I secured both engines. Simultaneously, [I] selected the best landing site I could see." The pilot lowered the landing gear after securing both engines. The airplane landed in the middle of a field and the landing gear collapsed during rollout. The airplane skidded to a stop on its belly, receiving only minor damage. The airplane was lifted up on its main landing gear by a crane and it was towed to the airport. An inspection of the fuel system and engine revealed no anomalies. The fuel tanks contained fuel and no contamination was found. The left and right engines were started and an engine ground run revealed no anomalies on the left engine. The right engine ran normally except the right engine could only develop 30-32 inches of MAP. The oil line going to the right engine's waste gate differential control was capped off, and then the engine produced 40 inches of MAP. The FAA approved a ferry flight. The airplane departed and flew for 30 minutes in the local pattern prior to departing. The flight continued to Denver without incident or any engine anomalies. An uncontrolled airport with lighted runways was located 30 miles from the takeoff airport and 40 miles from the destination airport.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 437 hours in all; 437 in this make and model; 208 in the last 90 days; 74 in the last 30 days; 1,966 as pilot in command; 496 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,685 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 8, 2003; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Key Lime Air
The flight
- Departed from: MCK Mccook KS at 2:47 am
- Destination: GLD Goodland KS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 080° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from GLD, 9 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI03IA069.