Piper PA-23-250 accident near Emporia, Kansas, March 20, 2006
On March 20, 2006 at about 12:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N331FC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Emporia, Kansas. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's attempted flight into adverse weather conditions and improper in-flight planning which resulted in loss of control and subsequent impact with trees. Contributing factors were the pilot's delayed remedial action, the icing and dark night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2006 · about 12:40 pm local time
- Place
- Emporia, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N331FC · registry record · serial 27-7554024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to departure, the pilot obtained a weather briefing from a flight service station. At the start of the briefing conversation, the briefer asked the pilot if he was going to take the "anti-icing" equipped airplane for the proposed flight. The pilot responded, "Hopefully." The briefer informed the pilot "there's all kinds of stuff going on out there today, looks like you're going to need [anti-icing equipped airplane]. The briefer told the pilot to expect ice, instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions, and turbulence along the intended route of flight. The briefer informed the pilot the weather consisted of rime ice, mix clouds, and precipitation, which included mist, snow, sleet, and rain. The briefer stated the current freezing level at the departure airport was 1,500 feet agl, to which the pilot stated, "Alright." The briefer inquired whether the pilot had an alternate airport, the pilot responded, "no." According to air traffic control communications, shortly after takeoff, the airplane climbed to 4,000 feet and the controller identified the airplane on radar. The pilot informed the controller the airplane was accumulating "very little ice", and he requested an altitude of 6,000 feet. The controller cleared the pilot to 6,000 feet, and shortly thereafter, the pilot requested an altitude of 3,000, because the airplane would not climb. The controller cleared the airplane to 3,200 feet, which was the minimum en route altitude for the area. The pilot then requested to divert to a nearby airport. The pilot requested the weather for the airport and stated he could hardly keep altitude because the airplane "had a lot of ice." The controller reported to the pilot that radar contact was lost below 3,200 feet, at which the pilot responded, "can't find the approach plates for [airport], hardly hold altitude at 3,200 feet, losing altitude." The controller then asked, "Are you picking up ice?" The pilot responded, "Lot of ice." The pilot inquired whether he could descend and the controller cleared the pilot to descend at his discretion. The controller asked the pilot if he could navigate an approach to the airport, and the pilot responded, "No sir, I'm going down." During an attempted forced landing, the airplane impacted a tree, and came to rest upright in a field approximately 4 miles southeast of the airport. In an interview after the accident, the pilot reported no anomalies with the airplane's deice equipment. The pilot stated it was somewhat difficult to see the extent of the ice accumulation because the flight occurred prior to sunrise. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with the airframe, systems and engines.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,957 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 390 in the last 90 days; 163 in the last 30 days; 1,849 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,224 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 1, 2006; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Safewing Aviation Company INC
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City MO at 12:05 pm
- Destination: ICT Wichita KS
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.