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20230724012269A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-140 · New London, NC · July 24, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 24, 2023 · 16:30 local
Place
New London, NC
Airport
Stanly County
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
Pilot school (Part 141)
Operator
6P8S
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N98134
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA23LA310
Reported as
Piper PA-28-140
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificate
Flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
661 total
N98134Registered now · Piper PA-28-140S/N 28-26064Airframe modelPiper PA-28-140Engine 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.

The aircraft had departed the Stanly County Airport on a local dual instruction flight. The aircraft was heading for the practice area north of the airport. This was the first flight of the day for the aircraft. There was approximately 34 gallons of fuel on board the aircraft as checked by the instructor. The pilot-in-command stated that the run-up was normal. The takeoff and initial climb were also normal. Shortly after departing the pilots noticed the aircraft was losing power for an unknown reason. The instructor took over control and turned back toward the airport. The pilot established the aircraft at best glide speed and called the tower. The aircraft was unable to return back to the airport. The pilot in command set up for an emergency landing. During the approach the aircraft struck the tops of trees and impacted the ground coming to rest with the tail against a tranmission line.

Based on the investigation it has not been determined what caused the engine failure. The NTSB will be performing an inspection and teardown of the engine in the future.

Sas task id T-EA68-FY23-1755.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT HAD DEPARTED THE STANLY COUNTY AIRPORT ON A LOCAL DUAL INSTRUCTION FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING FOR THE PRACTICE AREA NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY FOR THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 34 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT AS CHECKED BY THE INSTRUCTOR. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND STATED THAT THE RUN-UP WAS NORMAL. THE TAKEOFF AND INITIAL CLIMB WERE ALSO NORMAL. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING THE PILOTS NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOSING POWER FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER CONTROL AND TURNED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT ESTABLISHED THE AIRCRAFT AT BEST GLIDE SPEED AND CALLED THE TOWER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO RETURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT IN COMMAND SET UP FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. DURING THE APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TOPS OF TREES AND IMPACTED THE GROUND COMING TO REST WITH THE TAIL AGAINST A TRANMISSION LINE.

BASED ON THE INVESTIGATION IT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED WHAT CAUSED THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE NTSB WILL BE PERFORMING AN INSPECTION AND TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE IN THE FUTURE.

SAS TASK ID T-EA68-FY23-1755.

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 ERA23LA310Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportNew London, NCA partial loss of engine power due to the No. 4 cylinder’s stuck exhaust valve.Jul 24, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N98134 · 1

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

Accident 19800620022369ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Clifford, PALeft landing gear severed on landing roll after impact with a bale of hay on edge of runway.Jun 20, 1980 · Substantial damage