Piper PA-23 accident near Benton Harbor, Michigan, February 7, 1995
On February 7, 1995 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-23, registered N2092P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Benton Harbor, Michigan. 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper use of carburetor heat. Factors were carburetor icing conditions, snow, and blowing snow.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 1995 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Benton Harbor, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23 · all PA-23s on the register
- Registration
- N2092P · no longer on the register · serial 23-680
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 7,000 MEAN SEA LEVEL, THE AIRPLANE SUFFERED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS TO THE RIGHT ENGINE, WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THAT ENGINE. THE PILOT TRIED MIXTURES FORWARD (RICH), BOOST PUMPS ON, AND FUEL BACK ON MAIN TANKS. WHEN HE TRIED CARBURETOR HEAT, IT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF 300 RPM, WHICH HE CONSIDERED NORMAL, AND HE TURNED IT OFF AFTER 30 TO 45 SECONDS. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CONDUCT AN ILS APPROACH IN IMC CONDITIONS, BUT THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT THEN INITIATED A FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE BROKE OUT OF THE OVERCAST ABOUT 600 TO 900 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW RESTRICTING VISIBILITY, PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH WIRES AND A TREE, DURING THE LANDING. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ABOUT FIVE MILES EAST OF THE AIRPORT. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION REVEALED NO PREEXISTING ANOMALIES.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 267 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,869 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,649 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 1995; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UGN Waukegan IL at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 1D2 Plymouth MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from BEH, 5 miles away
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.
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.