20100420032629A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-44-180 · Toole, UT · April 20, 2010

Date: April 20, 2010 · 19:05 local
Place: Toole, UT
Airport: Bolinder Field - Toole Valley
Phase of flight: Climb
Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N331GP
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR10LA210
Reported as: Piper PA-44-180
Reported engine: Lycoming O-360-E1AD6
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,207 total127 in this make and model174 in the last 90 days

N331GPRegistered now · Piper PA-44-180S/N 44-7995277 · Built 1979 Airframe modelPiper PA-44-180 Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 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.

Flight instructor stated that after a touch and go, the student throttled up both engines and over the departure end of the runway numbers the left engine went quiet. Student gave instructor controls, instructor attempted unsuccessful engine restart, feathered the left propellor. Turned aircraft to the left and noticed sink rate increasing. Picked a landing area in a field heading east and touched down at about 60 knots. Airplane continued forward and went across a ditch which caused the nose and left main gear to collapse. Both occupants exited the aircraft. Investigation revealled the left fuel tank had no remaining fuel and the right tank had approximately 19 gallons. The flight instructor and student later realized the fuel selector had been left in crossfeed for the entire flight allowing both the right and left engines to feed off the left fuel tank.

As the FAA filed it

FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT AFTER A TOUCH AND GO, THE STUDENT THROTTLED UP BOTH ENGINES AND OVER THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY NUMBERS THE LEFT ENGINE WENT QUIET. STUDENT GAVE INSTRUCTOR CONTROLS, INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED UNSUCCESSFUL ENGINE RESTART, FEATHERED THE LEFT PROPELLOR. TURNED AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT AND NOTICED SINK RATE INCREASING. PICKED A LANDING AREA IN A FIELD HEADING EAST AND TOUCHED DOWN AT ABOUT 60 KNOTS. AIRPLANE CONTINUED FORWARD AND WENT ACROSS A DITCH WHICH CAUSED THE NOSE AND LEFT MAIN GEAR TO COLLAPSE. BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. INVESTIGATION REVEALLED THE LEFT FUEL TANK HAD NO REMAINING FUEL AND THE RIGHT TANK HAD APPROXIMATELY 19 GALLONS. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT LATER REALIZED THE FUEL SELECTOR HAD BEEN LEFT IN CROSSFEED FOR THE ENTIRE FLIGHT ALLOWING BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT ENGINES TO FEED OFF THE LEFT FUEL TANK.

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 WPR10LA210Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTooele, UTThe complete loss of power in one engine due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's failure to reposition the cross-feed valve prior to takeoff and the flight instructor's failure to monitor the pilot's actions. Contributing to the accident was the…Apr 21, 2010 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N331GP · 1

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

Incident 19991112031609ILevel Off Touchdown · Uvalde, TX(-23) Pilot reported that as aircraft was on take-off roll on runway 15/33 three deer ran across the runway in front of the aircraft. The pilot attempted to fly over the deer but could not, the aircraft struck two or all three of the deer. The pilot was able…Nov 12, 1999 · Minor damage