# NTSB ERA12LA340: Piper PA-28R-201T, N442G, Williston, FL, May 5, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 5, 2012, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Williston, FL - Coordinates: 29.353332, -82.469718 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.3533&lon=-82.4697&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 18, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 83672 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA12LA340 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83672/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83672 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA340 ## Probable cause Loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination and testing, which included a successful postaccident engine run. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-201T, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102813), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-201T, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=7102813), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-201T, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7102813), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis After completing a local sightseeing flight and two touch-and-go landings at a nearby airport, the pilot departed to return to the airplane’s base airport. During takeoff, at an altitude of about 400 feet above ground level, the engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot maneuvered the airplane toward a grassy area and performed a gear-up landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examination of the airframe revealed that both fuel tanks were about half full of fuel. A successful postaccident test run of the engine failed to reveal any evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure. Additionally, the weather conditions at the time of the accident were not conducive to the formation of carburetor ice at high power settings. ## Factual narrative On May 5, 2012, approximately 1500 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, N442G, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power after takeoff from Williston Municipal Airport (X60), Williston, Florida. The certificated airline transport pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which departed Ocala International Airport (OCF), Ocala, Florida, approximately 1420. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to conduct local sightseeing, as well as touch-and-go practice takeoffs and landings at X60. During the third takeoff, at an altitude of about 400 feet and while the airplane's landing gear was retracting, the engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot could not quantify the decrease in rpm, but stated that the power being generated by the engine was “minimal.” The pilot elected to turn the airplane and land, gear-up, in a grassy area to the side of the crosswind runway. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the left wing. The fuel selector was found in the right wing tank position, and both left and right wing tanks were approximately half full. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and sea, and an airline transport certificate with a rating for airplane multiengine land, as well as numerous type ratings. He reported 23,230 hours total flight time, of which 11 hours were in the accident airplane make and model. His most recent FAA first-class medical certificate was issued in April 2012. The airplane was manufactured in 1977, and was equipped with a 200 hp, Continental TSIO-360 turbocharged reciprocating engine. The airplane’s most recent annual inspection was completed on November 4, 2011. The airplane had accumulated 49 flight hours since the annual inspection, and a total time of 3,234.7 hours as of the date of the accident. The engine had accumulated 206.8 hours since its most recent overhaul. The 1450 weather observation at OCF, located approximately 17 miles southeast of the accident site, included clear skies, winds from 160 degrees at 5 knots, temperature 33 degrees C, dew point 15 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.94 inches of mercury. A test run of the engine was performed under FAA supervision. The airplane was not defueled, and only the fuel on board at the time of the accident was used for the engine run. Prior to the test, an undamaged propeller was installed on the engine. The engine started on the first attempt, and accelerated without hesitation when power was applied. A magneto check was performed with no anomalies noted. The fuel selector was manipulated between the left and right wing tanks, with no interruption of fuel flow observed. Enginepower was reduced to idle, and the engine decelerated and ran smoothly. No abnormal engine indications were observed during the test. A visual inspection of the exhaust system revealed no anomalies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N442G](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N442G), registered now, S/N 28R-7703208, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28R-201T - Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-201T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-201t) (registry code 7102813) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28R-7703208 - Airframe hours: 3235 - Engines: CONT MOTOR TSIO-360 SER 225 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Flyin Out LLC - Registered owner: Flyin Out LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 4, 2011 - Departed: OCF, Ocala, FL - Destination: X60, Williston, FL - Airport: X60, Williston Municipal ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 21, 2011; seat: left; flight hours: 23,230 total, 11 in this make and model, 16,542 as pilot in command, 223 in the last 90 days, 79 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft broken - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 29.94 inHg - Observed at: OCF, 18 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20120505008419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120505008419A), May 5, 2012: Piper PA-28R-201T, Williston, FL, Substantial damage. During climb out after touch and go at approximately 400 feet AGL the engine lost power with out notice. Aircraft had been flying for .7 hours with no… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 14, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83672. 6.8 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 713 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40388530&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum for Record - FAA Engine Exam (item 2, .PDF, 153 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40388643&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20FAA%20Engine%20Exam-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Pilot Interview (item 3, .PDF, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40388738&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Pilot%20Interview-Master.PDF - Photo 1 - Airplane as it came to rest (Courtesy of FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 5.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40388665&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Airplane%20as%20it%20came%20to%20rest%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - Airplane during recovery (Courtesy of FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 902 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40388666&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Airplane%20during%20recovery%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.