What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft performing touch an go training experienced engine failure on climb-out approximately 600 ft. AGL. Instructor attempted restart twice before making emergency landing in horse pasture. Aircraft collided with wooden fence outlining the field. Splintered fence post entered the cockpit through the firewall and fatally injured flight instructor in right seat. Student pilot in left seat sustained minor injuries. Control continuity was verified at the accident site. Left wing fuel tank was ripped open and all fuel was gone. Right tank had approximately 6 gallons.
Engine examined on September 6, 2017 at anglin aircraft recovery facility in Delaware by NTSB, FAA, and Rotax representatives. Engine starter, ignition=, battery, and oil sytems were all verified in proper working order.
Water contamination was found in the main fuel pump, emergency electric fuel pump, and carburetors.
The 6 gallons of fuel drained from the right fuel tank contained approximately one pint of water.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT PERFORMING TOUCH AN GO TRAINING EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE ON CLIMB-OUT APPROXIMATELY 600 FT. AGL. INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED RESTART TWICE BEFORE MAKING EMERGENCY LANDING IN HORSE PASTURE. AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH WOODEN FENCE OUTLINING THE FIELD. SPLINTERED FENCE POST ENTERED THE COCKPIT THROUGH THE FIREWALL AND FATALLY INJURED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN RIGHT SEAT. STUDENT PILOT IN LEFT SEAT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS VERIFIED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. LEFT WING FUEL TANK WAS RIPPED OPEN AND ALL FUEL WAS GONE. RIGHT TANK HAD APPROXIMATELY 6 GALLONS.
ENGINE EXAMINED ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2017 AT ANGLIN AIRCRAFT RECOVERY FACILITY IN DELAWARE BY NTSB, FAA, AND ROTAX REPRESENTATIVES. ENGINE STARTER, IGNITION=, BATTERY, AND OIL SYTEMS WERE ALL VERIFIED IN PROPER WORKING ORDER.
WATER CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND IN THE MAIN FUEL PUMP, EMERGENCY ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP, AND CARBURETORS.
THE 6 GALLONS OF FUEL DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK CONTAINED APPROXIMATELY ONE PINT OF WATER.
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 N319TA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.