ERA21LA267

The student pilot was conducting his first solo flight. After his second takeoff, while turning onto the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern, he heard the engine lose power. At an altitude of 700 ft above ground level, he did not think he could make it back to the airport, so he maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing to a field. During the approach, the airplane stalled and impacted a construction area before reaching the field. A postcrash fire ensued. Flight control cable continuity for the aileron, stabilator, and rudder cables were continuous from the cockpit to the respective control surfaces, except for separations consistent with recovery cuts near the wing roots and the tailcone. The engine cylinders were examined with a borescope and minor scoring was noted. No anomalies were noted with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation; however, due to the extent of the postcrash fire damage, the ignition and fuel systems could not be examined or tested, and the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

On June 24, 2021, about 1115 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161, N2143G, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Easton, Maryland. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. According to the student pilot, he conducted a preflight inspection before he and his instructor completed the engine run-up and takeoff with no anomalies noted. They stayed in the airport traffic pattern, conducting three takeoffs and landings before stopping to let the instructor out, so that the student pilot could perform three solo take-offs and landings. After the second take-off, the student pilot was turning onto the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern when he heard a reduction in engine power and could see the propeller slowing down. He was at an altitude of about 700 ft above ground level and had to pitch the airplane forward so it would not stall. The pilot did not think he could make it back to the airport, so he selected a field and maneuvered for a forced landing, during which the airplane impacted a pile of metal on the ground. Witnesses reported that the airplane appeared to pitch nose-up before reaching the field, then stalled and impacted a construction area. Ground personnel rescued the student pilot before a postcrash fire ensued. The wreckage was taken to an aircraft recovery facility for further examination. The fuselage above the lower fuselage skin and structure below the floorboards was consumed by fire. The instrument panel, most of the instruments, avionics, gauges, and switches were fire damaged and unreadable. The firewall was separated from the fuselage and the rudder pedal assembly remained attached to the firewall. Flight control cable continuity for the aileron, stabilator, and rudder cables were continuous from the cockpit to the respective control surfaces, except for separations consistent with cuts made during the recovery process near the wing roots and the tailcone. The propeller remained attached to the crankshaft flange. Both magnetos remained installed on the back of the accessory housing; however, both units were consumed by fire. The cylinders were examined using a borescope and minor scoring was noted. No anomalies were noted with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal operation. Due to fire damage, the ignition and fuel systems could not be tested.