# Incident 20210421006159I: Piper PA-28-140, Winter Haven, FL, April 21, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 21, 2021, 16:02 local time
- Place: Winter Haven, FL
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Location: 28.0222° N, 81.7329° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Winter Haven, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0222&lon=-81.7329&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6791W, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6791W) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-140
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 21,967 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210421006159I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON 04/21/2021 STUDENT PILOT TRAINING EVENT FOURTH LESSON. THEY HAD BEEN OPERATING THE PIPER PA-28-140 N6791 W, AIRCRAFT FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES CONDUCTING AIRPORT PATTERN WORK

UPON LIFTING OFF FOR THERE SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE PRACTICE TAKE OFF AND LANDINGS (EVERY OTHER LANDING BEING A FULL STOP TAXI BACK). THE PLANE ENGINE SPUTTERED (APPROX. 30 TO 50 FEET AGL)

PIC IMMEDIATELY CALLED "MY AIRPLANE" DROPPING THE NOSE TO ESTABLISH A GLIDE AND DETERMINED THE AIRPORT FENCE AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY WAS ABLE TO BE CLEARED, ALLOWING A LANDING IN THE GRASSY AREA JUST OFF THE AIRPORT.

THEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SURGED TO FULL POWER GIVING US A CLIMB WHICH THEY HOPED FOR A POTENTIAL 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT. HOWEVER, THE BURST OF POWER WAS SHORT LIVED AND THEY WERE AGAIN LEFT WITH FEW OPTIONS, THEY AIMED FOR THE FOUR-LANE DIVIDED, HIGHWAY 92 INTO THE WIND.

ALIGNING THE GLIDE PATH WITH THE OUTSIDE LANE AND TOUCHED DOWN ROLLING TO A STOP.

THEY SHUT DOWN, ALL SWITCHES OFF, FUEL SELECTOR TO OFF, VACATED THE AIRCRAFT.

THEY RELOCATED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE HIGHWAY INTO A PARKING AREA AND CALLED THE COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE TO REPORT. THEY WERE ESCORTED BACK EAST ON THE HIGHWAY TO RELOCATE THE AIRCRAFT IN TOW BEHIND THE

MAINTENANCE HANGAR RESCUE VEHICLE.

SPOKE TO MECHANIC AND HE STATED PRIOR TO MOVING AIRCRAFT HE CHECKED FUEL QUANTITY FOUND ABOUT 16 ABOUT GALLONS LEFT FUEL TANK AND ABOUT 17 GALLONS RIGHT FUEL TANK. AS HE STATED IN HIS RETURN TO SERVICE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN AT 5,000 FEET FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES WITH THE SAME FUEL THAT WAS IN BOTH TANKS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN DOING STEEP BANK TURNS WHILE CHANGING FUELS TANKS TRYING TO DUPLICATE WEAK FUEL PUMP WITH LOW HEAD PRESSURE. NO DEFECTS NOTED. AIRCRAFT MAINTAINED NORMAL FUEL PRESSURE IN ALL FLIGHT CONFIGURATIONS.

## Other reports on N6791W (2)

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

- [Incident 19990807026849I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990807026849I), Aug 7, 1999: Piper PA28140 (N6791W), Fasons, NC, Minor damage. On August 07, 1999 I was dispatched to the accident of a Piper P-28-140 N6791W. I arrived on the scene at about 10:15 am on August 08, 1999 with Mr. Roger…
- [Incident 19890325023669I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890325023669I), Mar 25, 1989: Piper PA28140 (N6791W), Southport, NC, Minor damage. Landed too close behind large coast guard helicopter. Rotor wash and gusty wind caused aircraft to veer into ditch.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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