Piper PA-23-160 accident near Carson City, Nevada, January 27, 1989
On January 27, 1989 at about 8:52 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-160, registered N4391P, was destroyed in an accident near Carson City, Nevada (Carson City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE DUE TO A FOREIGN OBJECT WHICH OBSTRUCTED THE FUEL FLOW, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ABOVE VMC DURING HIS ATTEMPTED RETURN TO THE AIRFIELD. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF RECENT FLIGHT TIME BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 1989 · about 8:52 pm local time
- Place
- Carson City, Nevada · Carson City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N4391P · no longer on the register · serial 23-1902
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON CROSSWIND LEG AFTER T/O, THE PILOT ANNOUNCED HE HAD LOST AN ENGINE AND WAS RETURNING TO LAND. DURING A LEFT TURN BACK TOWARD THE ARPT, THE ACFT ROLLED INVERTED TO THE LEFT AND DESCENDED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE UNTIL IMPACT. EXAM REVEALED AN EXTRA NEEDLE VALVE LOOSE IN THE LEFT ENG CARBURETOR FLOAT BOWL. ANOTHER NEEDLE VALVE AND SEAT ASSEMBLY WAS CORRECTLY INSTALLED IN THE CARBURETOR. NUMEROUS SMOOTH BRIGHT SPOTS OF WEAR WERE FOUND ON THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE GRAINY TEXTURED INTERIOR OF THE FLOAT BOWL. THE AREA AROUND THE FUEL MIXTURE METERING ASSEMBLY PORT WAS POLISHED AND THE NEEDLE VALVE COULD BE INSERTED IN THE PORT. MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED NEW ENGINES HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON 10/30/79. ALTHOUGH RECORDS AND WITNESSES INDICATED POWER PROBLEMS WITH THE LEFT ENGINE, NO RECORDS INDICATED THE CARBURETOR FLOAT BOWL HAD EVER BEEN REMOVED AFTER THE ENGINE HAD INITIALLY BEEN INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 538 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 519 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,976 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1988; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: O04 Carson City NV at 8:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:59 pm from RNO, 19 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.
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.