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20170521005849A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-181 · Bristow, VA · May 21, 2017

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 21, 2017 · 20:07 local
Place
Bristow, VA
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8304F
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA17CA186
Reported as
Piper PA-28-181
Reported engine
Lycoming O&VO-360 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
7,514 total1,200 in this make and model6 in the last 90 days
N8304FRegistration cancelled Feb 3, 2020 · Piper PA-28-181S/N 28-8390012 · Built 1982Airframe modelPiper PA-28-181Engine 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.

CFI was giving a flight review to a private pilot. After the third take-off from rwy 16R, the engine quit at about 800 feet MSL. The CFI took control of the aircraft and lowered the nose slightly. At about 900 feet MSL, the engine came on for a few seconds and then quit again. While the CFI was commencing a turn to attempt a return to 16R, the engine started for several seconds and then shut off for good.

The CFI checked the mixture, throttle and ignition without any response. The private pilot initiated a radio call to the hef tower to advise that engine power was lost and they were attempting a landing downwind of 16R in a farmer's field.

During landing, the nose wheel impacted the field and sheared off at the nose wheel fork/ strut area and departed the aircraft. As the aircraft continued rolling, the right wing tip struck a metal fence post and spun the aircraft 300 degrees before coming to rest in a nose down configuration. The CFI secured the aircraft and both pilots exited the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

CFI WAS GIVING A FLIGHT REVIEW TO A PRIVATE PILOT. AFTER THE THIRD TAKE-OFF FROM RWY 16R, THE ENGINE QUIT AT ABOUT 800 FEET MSL. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LOWERED THE NOSE SLIGHTLY. AT ABOUT 900 FEET MSL, THE ENGINE CAME ON FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN QUIT AGAIN. WHILE THE CFI WAS COMMENCING A TURN TO ATTEMPT A RETURN TO 16R, THE ENGINE STARTED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND THEN SHUT OFF FOR GOOD.

THE CFI CHECKED THE MIXTURE, THROTTLE AND IGNITION WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE. THE PRIVATE PILOT INITIATED A RADIO CALL TO THE HEF TOWER TO ADVISE THAT ENGINE POWER WAS LOST AND THEY WERE ATTEMPTING A LANDING DOWNWIND OF 16R IN A FARMER'S FIELD.

DURING LANDING, THE NOSE WHEEL IMPACTED THE FIELD AND SHEARED OFF AT THE NOSE WHEEL FORK/ STRUT AREA AND DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ROLLING, THE RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK A METAL FENCE POST AND SPUN THE AIRCRAFT 300 DEGREES BEFORE COMING TO REST IN A NOSE DOWN CONFIGURATION. THE CFI SECURED THE AIRCRAFT AND BOTH PILOTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT.

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 ERA17CA186Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportBristow, VAThe flight instructor’s and pilot’s mismanagement of the available fuel, which resulted in exhaustion of the fuel in the selected fuel tank and a subsequent total loss of engine power.May 21, 2017 · Substantial damage