# NTSB ERA17LA300: Piper PA 28R-200, N9431N, St. Augustine, FL, August 20, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 20, 2017, 11:20 local (15:20 UTC) - Place: St. Augustine, FL - Coordinates: 29.959167, -81.339721 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9592&lon=-81.3397&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report July 23, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 95913 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA17LA300 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95913/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95913 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA300 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation and because the amount of fuel onboard the airplane could not be verified. ## 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-200, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102811), [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 (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-200, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7102811), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-200, 30 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7102811), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that, during a training flight to practice touch-and-go landings, while the airplane was climbing through 500 ft, the engine started to "sputter." The student pilot, who was flying the airplane, stated that she switched the fuel tanks just before the engine lost power but that she was unsure which tank she had selected. Due to the low altitude, the flight instructor took control of the airplane and performed an emergency landing in a marsh, during which the right wing and airframe sustained substantial damage. An examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal evidence any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Before takeoff, the airplane had 25 gallons of fuel onboard, and the airplane had been flown about 1 hour before the engine lost power. According to the engine operating manual, the engine's fuel consumption rate was 12.5 gallons per hour, which would have resulted in about half of the fuel supply still being available when the engine lost power, assuming that the supply of fuel in the selected fuel tank had not already been exhausted. However, the postaccident quantity of fuel onboard the airplane could not be verified due to the airplane having rested in the marsh after the accident. Therefore, based on the available evidence, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On August 20, 2017, about 1120 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-200, N9431N, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after takeoff from Northeast Florida Regional Airport (SGJ) St Augustine, Florida. The flight instructor and student pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was privately owned, and the instructional flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which originated from SGJ about 1035.According to the flight instructor, the purpose of the flight was to practice traffic pattern touch-and-go landings. The instructor said that during the run-up he told the student "not to forget to change the fuel tanks every 30 minutes." The flight instructor stated that they were on their fourth takeoff and were climbing through 500 ft when the engine started to "sputter." The flight instructor took control of the airplane, declared an emergency and landed the airplane in a marsh area. According to the student pilot, as they were climbing through 500 ft, she switched the fuel tanks while climbing and the engine "failed." The student pilot did not recall which fuel tank she switchd to prior to the loss of engine power. She passed the controls over to the instructor to perform the emergency landing. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed the right wing and airframe was buckled. A cursory examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Due to the airplane resting in the marsh the amount of fuel remaining in the wing tanks could not be determined. Prior to take off the airplane had a total of 25 gallons of fuel on board. According to the Lycoming engine operator's manual, the IO-360C series engine fuel consumption is 12.5 gallons per hour at performance cruise. The airplane was flown for about an hour prior to the loss of engine power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9431N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9431N-2019-11-04), registration cancelled 2019-11-04, S/N 28R-35144, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 28R-200 (200) - Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (registry code 7102811) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28R-35144 - Year built: 1969 - Airframe hours: 6942.8 - Engines: LYCOMING I0360 SER 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 19, 2017, 60 hours before - Departed: SGJ, St. Augustine, FL - Destination: SGJ, St. Augustine, FL - Airport: SGJ, Northeast Florida Rgnl, runway 13, 8,002 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 25; injuries: minor; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 17, 2017; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,340 total, 4 in this make and model, 1,267 as pilot in command, 336 in the last 90 days, 122 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 20; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 2, 2017; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 228 total, 3 in this make and model, 167 as pilot in command, 48 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 77 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: SGJ ## 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 20170820010429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170820010429A), Aug 20, 2017: Piper PA-28R-200, St Augustine, FL, Substantial damage. ^T. camillo^ and instructor ^mohamed defrawy^ were doing traffic pattern/touch and go. During one of the take-off'd at 500 ft ^t. camillo^ switched the fuel to… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 28, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95913. 2.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470661&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector's Memorandum of Record (item 2, .PDF, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470662&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Memorandum%20of%20Record-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records (item 3, .PDF, 161 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470663&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records-Master.PDF - Lycoming Engine Operating Manual Excerpts (item 4, .PDF, 159 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470664&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Lycoming%20Engine%20Operating%20Manual%20Excerpts-Master.PDF - Photo Array (item 5, .PDF, 4 photos, 385 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470665&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.