20020628013829A

(.19) On June 28, 2002, 1130 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N2935Q, registered to and operated by a private pilot reported a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff and collided with an automobile during the emergency landing on a highway in Clearwater, Florida. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board the airplane, was not injured. The occupants of the automobile received minor injuries. The flight departed Clearwater, Florida, at 1100. The pilot was on a local VFR flight. Shortly after departure from Clearwater airpark, Florida, the pilot announced a "mayday" call. The pilot reported that the engine was losing power, and that he would be making an emergency landing. During the emergency landing the airplane struck two automobiles before coming to rest on a third. Preliminary examination of the accident site revealed that the left outboard wing flap impacted the first automobile and was separated from the airplane. The left main landing gear was separated from the airframe. The leading edge of the left wing came to rest inside of the automobiles' windshield. (-23) on June 18, 2002, at 1135 EDT, a Piper PA-28-140, N2935Q, registered to Mr. John w. long, experienced a loss of engine power in cruise flight and made an emergency landing in a traffic intersecion in dunedin, Florida, while on a part 91 flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a flight plan was not filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the private pilot was uninjured. The flight originated at odessa, Florida on June 28, 2002, at 1130 hours. The aircraft was enroute from tampa bay executive airport (3FD1) to Clearwater airpark (clw). At 1200 feet AGL, the pilot reported that he noticed a sputtering noise coming from the engine like it was running out of fuel. He stated that he attempted to smooth out the engine by adjusting the mixture. He stated that he did not apply carburetor heat and could not recall any instrument indication of a power loss. He called clw on frequency 123.0 to advise he was having engine problems. He then switched to 121.5 and called in a mayday. He continued to lose altitude and looked for a clear place to land. He applied full flaps sometime during his descent but could not recall when. His flight path continued along patricia avenue from a northerly direction to the traffic intersection at beltrees street. He descended through a low voltage power line, cutting the wire with the vertical stabilizer. The left wing then struck the rear of a taxi van on the north side of the intersection. The driver and passenger of the van were uninjured. The impact with the van separated a section of left wing from the outboard end of the flap to the wing tip. The right wing and one prop blade then struck a road sign, pulling the sign out of the ground and depositing it on the south side of the intersection. The aircraft continued through the intersection and struck a second vehicle in the northbound lane. The driver of the second vehicle was uninjured. The aircraft's right main tire and nose tire contacted the roadway after the aircraft struck the second vehicle, deflating the nose tire. The aircraft then struck a third vehicle near the shoulder of the northbound outer lane. The aircraft came to rest on the third vehicle with the leading edge of the wing protruding through the broken windshield and the vehicle's driver-side door post lodged between the inboard end of the wing and the fuselage. The driver was air-lifted out for examination and was found to have suffered only minor injuries. Examination of the aircraft, aircraft engine, and maintenance records revealed no abnormalities causal to the accident. The atmospheric conditions reported by the st. petersburg flight service station for 1100 EDT on June 28, 2002 for Clearwater, Florida was a temperature of 29 degrees celsius (84.2 degrees f.) and a dew point 24 degrees c. (75.2 degrees f). Conditions were favorable for light carburetor icing in cruise power.