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20160806016349A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28R-201 · Northampton, MA · August 6, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
August 6, 2016 · 11:43 local
Place
Northampton, MA
Airport
Northampton
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N3783M
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA16LA280
Reported as
Piper PA-28R-201
Reported engine
Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
6,399 total
N3783MRegistration cancelled Oct 31, 2016 · Piper PA-28R-201S/N 28R-7837137 · Built 1978Airframe modelPiper PA-28R-201Engine modelLycoming I0360 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.

The student conducted a simulated soft field takeoff. The instructor stated that the initial acceleration and liftoff appeared normal for the current conditions however, after liftoff the aircraft did not appear to be preforming normally and seemed sluggish. The student stated that the aircraft did not feel right, and the instructor advised that he had the aircraft controls and assumed control of the aircraft. The instructor stated that the aircraft did not seem to be making full power and that he was unable to climb or maintain a positive rate of climb. After carefully considering the lack of engine power and aircraft performance the instructor elected to land straight ahead into a cornfield. He closed the throttle and landed approximately one half mile off the departure end of runway 14. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the off airport landing, due to the soft surface condition of the field. Neither airman was injured during the landing and after securing the aircraft systems, they exited the aircraft without incident.

During maintenance tear down of the engine it was determined that the alternate air adapter assembly door had broken free during takeoff, and lodged sideways in the induction intake. This blockage dramatically reduced the amount of power the engine was able to produce and ultimately resulted in the off airport landing/accident.

As the FAA filed it

THE STUDENT CONDUCTED A SIMULATED SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE INITIAL ACCELERATION AND LIFTOFF APPEARED NORMAL FOR THE CURRENT CONDITIONS HOWEVER, AFTER LIFTOFF THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE PREFORMING NORMALLY AND SEEMED SLUGGISH. THE STUDENT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT FEEL RIGHT, AND THE INSTRUCTOR ADVISED THAT HE HAD THE AIRCRAFT CONTROLS AND ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT SEEM TO BE MAKING FULL POWER AND THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB OR MAINTAIN A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB. AFTER CAREFULLY CONSIDERING THE LACK OF ENGINE POWER AND AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE THE INSTRUCTOR ELECTED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD INTO A CORNFIELD. HE CLOSED THE THROTTLE AND LANDED APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 14. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE OFF AIRPORT LANDING, DUE TO THE SOFT SURFACE CONDITION OF THE FIELD. NEITHER AIRMAN WAS INJURED DURING THE LANDING AND AFTER SECURING THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS, THEY EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INCIDENT.

DURING MAINTENANCE TEAR DOWN OF THE ENGINE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ALTERNATE AIR ADAPTER ASSEMBLY DOOR HAD BROKEN FREE DURING TAKEOFF, AND LODGED SIDEWAYS IN THE INDUCTION INTAKE. THIS BLOCKAGE DRAMATICALLY REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF POWER THE ENGINE WAS ABLE TO PRODUCE AND ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN THE OFF AIRPORT LANDING/ACCIDENT.

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 ERA16LA280Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportNorthampton, MAThe failure of the alternate air valve plate hinge pin, which caused the alternate air valve plate to lodge in the fuel servo assembly, which resulted in a restriction of air to the fuel servo assembly, a loss of engine power, and an off-airport emergency…Aug 6, 2016 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3783M · 1

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

Incident 19970818028679ILevel Off Touchdown · Montague, MANarrative: during a simulated engine out landing at turners Falls during a training flight, the pilot in command failed to insure that the landing gear was down. The airplane landed gear up. There was minor damage to the airplane and no injuries. [privacy…Aug 18, 1997 · Minor damage