Piper PA-23-250 accident near Michigan City, Indiana, May 23, 1995
On May 23, 1995 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N6092Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Michigan City, Indiana (Michigan City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
reason for the occurrence was undetermined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1995 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Michigan City, Indiana · Michigan City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6092Y · registry record · serial 27-3298
- 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 AFTER SHUT DOWN ON THE RAMP, HE NOTICED SIGNS OF AN ENGINE FIRE IN THE RIGHT ENGINE COWLING. A FIRE TRUCK WAS SUMMONED AND THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED. A WITNESS REPORTED FIRE COMING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE AS IT BACK TAXIED TO THE TERMINAL. HE SAW TWO PEOPLE JUMP OUT OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER IT STOPPED, AND PEOPLE USING PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS UNTIL THE FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE INTENSE HEAT FROM THE ENGINE FIRE BURNED THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR DOORS, BOTTOM ENGINE COWLING, AND THE TOP ENGINE COWLING TO ABOUT 10 INCHES BEHIND THE FIRE WALL. IT APPEARED THAT THE FIRE STARTED ABOVE THE TURBO CHARGER UNIT. FIRE OCCURRED IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE FIREWALL. EXTENSIVE HEAT DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE FIREWALL AND THE ENGINE ACCESSORIES. THE HYDRAULIC AND FUEL HOSES ABOVE THE TURBO CHARGER WERE DESTROYED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 4,900 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,289 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 3, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-J4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SER Seymour IN at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 20, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.