20200108003339A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-23 · Helena, MT · January 8, 2020

Date: January 8, 2020 · 16:05 local
Place: Helena, MT
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1428P
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR20CA066
Reported as: Piper PA-23
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 8,174 total1,875 in this make and model118 in the last 90 days

N1428PRegistration cancelled Jun 4, 2020 · Piper PA-23S/N 23-484 · Built 1956 Airframe modelPiper PA-23 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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.

Departed with student on an instructional flight to the local practice area. They conducted a shutdown of the left engine and were unable to conduct an air restart. They landed east of the airport in the field, no damage. The student got out and walked back to the airport and the pilot (instructor) decided to try and depart the field to fly back to the airport after he successfully started the left engine. Pilot taxied back on the field and attempted a takeoff but about 700' down the field hit a ditch and collapsed the nose-gear. This resulted in a dual prop strike and substantial damage.

As the FAA filed it

DEPARTED WITH STUDENT ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT TO THE LOCAL PRACTICE AREA. THEY CONDUCTED A SHUTDOWN OF THE LEFT ENGINE AND WERE UNABLE TO CONDUCT AN AIR RESTART. THEY LANDED EAST OF THE AIRPORT IN THE FIELD, NO DAMAGE. THE STUDENT GOT OUT AND WALKED BACK TO THE AIRPORT AND THE PILOT (INSTRUCTOR) DECIDED TO TRY AND DEPART THE FIELD TO FLY BACK TO THE AIRPORT AFTER HE SUCCESSFULLY STARTED THE LEFT ENGINE. PILOT TAXIED BACK ON THE FIELD AND ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF BUT ABOUT 700' DOWN THE FIELD HIT A DITCH AND COLLAPSED THE NOSE-GEAR. THIS RESULTED IN A DUAL PROP STRIKE AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

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 WPR20CA066Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportHelena, MTThe pilot's improper decision to attempt an off-airport departure from rough terrain without inspecting the takeoff area, which resulted in a collision with a shallow rut during takeoff and the nose landing gear collapsing.Jan 8, 2020 · Substantial damage