Piper PA-23-250 accident near Smoketown, Pennsylvania, August 18, 2005
On August 18, 2005 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N40504, was substantially damaged in an accident near Smoketown, Pennsylvania (Smoketown Airport). It was an instructional 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
A loss of engine power during the climb for undetermined reasons, resulting in a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2005 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Smoketown, Pennsylvania · Smoketown Airport · 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
- N40504 · no longer on the register · serial 27-7405235
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After departing the runway, the flight instructor felt a sudden power surge and yaw; however, he was unable to identify which engine was malfunctioning. After verifying proper engine control positions, he took control of the airplane from the student. He then retracted the landing gear to lessen the aerodynamic drag, and continued the climb, but the airspeed decayed towards the minimum controllable airspeed. He subsequently elected to perform a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane was substantially damaged. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, 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: 2,386 hours in all; 208 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 2,360 as pilot in command; 1,455 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 592 hours in all; 167 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 522 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,121.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S37 Smoketown PA at 11:20 pm
- Destination: S37
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from LNS, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.