20031023027909A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-24-250 · Troy, AL · October 23, 2003

Date: October 23, 2003 · 17:00 local
Place: Troy, AL
Airport: Troy Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Forced Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N5920P
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL04LA024
Reported as: Piper PA24250
Reported engine: Lycoming O540*
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 520 total4 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

N5920PRegistration cancelled Apr 24, 2013 · Piper PA-24-250S/N 24-1007 · Built 1959 Airframe modelPiper PA-24-250 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Aircraft departed new iberia, la (ara), VFR, enroute to Troy, AL (toi) for a fuel stop with planned continuation to atlanta, GA. Private pilot, receiving flight instruction (high performance signoff) had just purchased aircraft and was flying it home to the atlanta, Georgia area with a certified flight instructor who had just received his high performance signoff the previous day from a CFI in houston, TX. In the accident aircraft. CFI on board the aircraft stated that while on final for runway 25 at Troy, the "engine just quit." Flight instructor indicated that the aircraft was approximately 500' AGL and 1/2 mile from the end of the runway. The aircraft impacted the tops of trees and came to rest approximately 700' short of runway 25. No injuries were sustained by either pilot or the rear seat passenger. Flight instructor later stated that the engine "did not quit" but that there was no "response" from engine when power was added due to being "a little slow on final."

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED NEW IBERIA, LA (ARA), VFR, ENROUTE TO TROY, AL (TOI) FOR A FUEL STOP WITH PLANNED CONTINUATION TO ATLANTA, GA. PRIVATE PILOT, RECEIVING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION (HIGH PERFORMANCE SIGNOFF) HAD JUST PURCHASED AIRCRAFT AND WAS FLYING IT HOME TO THE ATLANTA, GEORGIA AREA WITH A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WHO HAD JUST RECEIVED HIS HIGH PERFORMANCE SIGNOFF THE PREVIOUS DAY FROM A CFI IN HOUSTON, TX. IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT. CFI ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT STATED THAT WHILE ON FINAL FOR RUNWAY 25 AT TROY, THE "ENGINE JUST QUIT." FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 500' AGL AND 1/2 MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TOPS OF TREES AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 700' SHORT OF RUNWAY 25. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY EITHER PILOT OR THE REAR SEAT PASSENGER. FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR LATER STATED THAT THE ENGINE "DID NOT QUIT" BUT THAT THERE WAS NO "RESPONSE" FROM ENGINE WHEN POWER WAS ADDED DUE TO BEING "A LITTLE SLOW ON FINAL."

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL04LA024Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTroy, ALThe certified flight instructor's improper fuel management resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation resulting in a forced landing, in-flight collision with trees and ground.Oct 23, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5920P · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19910803042709ILevel Off Touchdown · West Palm Beach, FLBounced on landing and gear collapsed. Pilot stated he was distracted by nervous passenger and not sure gear down.Aug 3, 1991 · Minor damage