20110927022909A

ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2011 AT APPROXIMATELY 1935 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, N6800W, A PA-28-140, SERIAL NUMBER 28-20934, OPERATED BY PILOT IN COMMAND / INSTRUCTOR PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OCCUPYING THE RIGHT SEAT WITH STUDENT / AIRCRAFT OWNER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN THE LEFT SEAT FLYING AND BEING INSTRUCTED. STATEMENTS FROM THE PILOTS INDICATED THAT AFTER FLYING FOR APPROXIMATELY 1.3 HOURS WITH FUEL BEING FED FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK TWO FULL STOP LANDINGS WERE MADE AT MGJ. DURING THE SECOND FULL STOP LANDING FUEL FEED WAS SWITCHED FROM THE LEFT TANK TO THE RIGHT TANK. STATEMENTS FROM THE PILOTS INDICATED THAT ON THE FIRST TAKE OFF FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER BETWEEN 200-300 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) AT WHICH POINT THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOK THE CONTROLS AND TOLD THE STUDENT PILOT TO SWITCH THE FUEL FEED BACK TO THE LEFT TANK AND THAT HE WOULD BE LANDING TO THE LEFT. DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING THE RIGHT WING IMPACTED A TREE THAT WAS NOT VISIBLE DUE TO DARKNESS. A SECTION OF THE RIGHT WING REMAINED APROXIMATELY 8' UP THE TREE. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS TORN FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 180' FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT WITH THE TREE. ON 9/28/11 INSPECTORS FROM THE TEB FSDO ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AND DOCUMENTED THE CRASH SCENE AND SUMPED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 PINT OF FUEL FROM THE RIGHT WING BEFORE THE FUEL IN THAT SUMP WAS DEPLETED. FUEL COULD NOT BE OBTAINED FROM THE ENGINE CARBURETOR OR LEFT FUEL TANK SUMP BECAUSE BOTH THE ENGINE AND THE LEFT WING WERE FLAT ON THE GROUND. THE INTEGRITY OF BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS WAS INTACT, AS STATED BY THE AIRPORT MANAGER WHO WAS ON THE SCENE ON 9/27/11 AND TOOK NOTE OF THE LACK OF FUEL SPILLAGE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS. ON 9/28/11 INSPECTORS NOTED NO SMELL OF FUEL OR INDICATONS THAT THERE HAD BEEN ANY FUEL LEAKAGE. THE RIGHT TANK WAS FOUND TO BE VOID OF FUEL EXCEPT FOR THE HALF PINT THAT WAS SUMPED TO DEPLETION FROM THAT TANK. THE LEFT WING WAS FLAT ON THE GROUND AND THE FUEL LEVEL IN THE LEFT TANK CAME NEARLY TO THE RIM OF THE FUEL SERVICING PORT WHILE THE LEFT WING WAS POSITIONED FLAT ON LEVEL GROUND. IN THE COCKPIT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE "OFF" POSITION AND ALL SWITCHES AND CONTROLS WERE OFF / POSITIONED AS IF THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING SECURED AFTER A NORMAL FLIGHT. ON 9/30/11 INSPECTORS FROM THE TEB FSDO RETURNED TO THE SECURED SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT WITH THE AIRCRAFT OWNER WHO BROUGHT AND OPERATED A TRACKED EXCAVATOR TO LIFT THE AIRCRAFT SO THE INSPECTORS COULD INSPECT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CARBURETOR AND ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. THE CARBURETOR AND THE FUEL LINES FROM THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP WERE FOUND TO CONTAIN A TOTAL OF LESS THAN TWP OUNCES OF FUEL. THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE CARBURETOR WAS INSUFFICIENT TO FLOAT THE CARBURETOR FLOATS AND WAS INSUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ENGINE POWER. THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP SCREEN WAS ALSO REMOVED AND FOUND TO BE CLEAN AND SERVICABLE.