What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 12, 2012, about 1835 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N15037, operated by ace pilot training inc., was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a corn field following a partial loss of engine power during initial climb from Lehigh Valley International Airport (abe), Allentown, Pennsylvania. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and private pilot were not injured. The instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the planned local flight. The CFI stated that the airplane was fueled to 36 gallons prior to the flight. The engine start-up, taxi, and run-up were normal. While departing from runway 31, about 200 feet above ground level, the CFI noticed that the throttle lever did not appear to be completely forward. He and the private pilot pushed the throttle lever full forward with resistance, which was followed by engine sputtering. The CFI then applied carburetor heat; however, the engine continued to sputter. He then elected to land in a corn field. During the landing, the engine firewall and right aileron were damaged. Upon examination and testing, which included engine runs and disassembly of components attached to the engine it was discovered that both magnetoes were defective. One had a loose gear and the other was missing approximately 1/3 of the teeth on a gear. Both magnetoes had been on the engine since overhauled by the manufacturer and had achieved 2,228 hours in service with no maintenance record entries showing any work being performed on them.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 12, 2012, ABOUT 1835 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28-140, N15037, OPERATED BY ACE PILOT TRAINING INC., WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A CORN FIELD FOLLOWING A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING INITIAL CLIMB FROM LEHIGH VALLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (ABE), ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND PRIVATE PILOT WERE NOT INJURED. THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PLANNED LOCAL FLIGHT. THE CFI STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS FUELED TO 36 GALLONS PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. THE ENGINE START-UP, TAXI, AND RUN-UP WERE NORMAL. WHILE DEPARTING FROM RUNWAY 31, ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE CFI NOTICED THAT THE THROTTLE LEVER DID NOT APPEAR TO BE COMPLETELY FORWARD. HE AND THE PRIVATE PILOT PUSHED THE THROTTLE LEVER FULL FORWARD WITH RESISTANCE, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY ENGINE SPUTTERING. THE CFI THEN APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO SPUTTER. HE THEN ELECTED TO LAND IN A CORN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING, THE ENGINE FIREWALL AND RIGHT AILERON WERE DAMAGED. UPON EXAMINATION AND TESTING, WHICH INCLUDED ENGINE RUNS AND DISASSEMBLY OF COMPONENTS ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT BOTH MAGNETOES WERE DEFECTIVE. ONE HAD A LOOSE GEAR AND THE OTHER WAS MISSING APPROXIMATELY 1/3 OF THE TEETH ON A GEAR. BOTH MAGNETOES HAD BEEN ON THE ENGINE SINCE OVERHAULED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND HAD ACHIEVED 2,228 HOURS IN SERVICE WITH NO MAINTENANCE RECORD ENTRIES SHOWING ANY WORK BEING PERFORMED ON THEM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N15037 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.