# NTSB GAA16LA352: Piper PA 28, N601FT, Merritt Island, FL, June 29, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 29, 2016, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Merritt Island, FL - Coordinates: 28.341943, -80.687774 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.3419&lon=-80.6878&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 20, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 93516 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA16LA352 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93516/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93516 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16LA352 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power during the landing roll, and an engine fire during a subsequent engine restart attempt. Neither the cause for the loss of engine power nor the source of the fire could be determined because the airplane was not made available for examination. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) - [Engine starting](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058000): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Related operating info (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058000/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058000/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Engine starting](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058000): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Incorrect use/operation; cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058000/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 22 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Taxi: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 504 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that he and his student were practicing takeoffs and landings in preparation for the student's first solo flight. During the seventh landing, the engine experienced a total loss of power during the landing roll. The instructor attempted to restart the engine, but during the process, he smelled and observed smoke coming from the engine cowling. He switched off the electrical equipment, obtained the fire extinguisher, and attempted to extinguish the fire. Maintenance personnel arrived shortly thereafter and fully extinguished the fire. The engine and carburetor were not made available for examination; therefore, neither the reason for the loss of power nor the source of the fire could be determined. Although the instructor's actions following the observed smoke were inconsistent with those prescribed by the pilot's operating handbook for an engine fire during start, whether his actions contributed to the fire could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On July 29, 2016, about 1300 Eastern daylight time (EDT), a Piper PA-28-161 airplane, N601FT, experienced a total loss of engine power during the landing roll at Merritt Island airport (COI) in Merritt Island, Florida. During the engine restart a fire ensued, and the firewall sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor and student pilot did not sustain injuries. The airplane was registered to American Air Academy Inc. and was operated by the flight instructor as a visual flight rules (VFR), local, instructional flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from COI, Merritt Island, Florida about 1150 EDT. The flight instructor reported that he and his student were practicing takeoff and landings in preparation for the student pilot's first solo. On their seventh landing the engine experienced a total loss of power during the landing roll. The flight instructor further reported that he attempted to restart the engine, but during that process he smelled and observed smoke coming from the engine cowling. He switched off the electrical equipment, secured the fire extinguisher, and attempted to extinguish the engine fire. According to the operator, the carburetor was overhauled about 400 hours prior to accident. A representative of the company that overhauled the carburetor reported that they did not have any records of the overhauled carburetor. The wreckage was sold by the insurance company to a private buyer, and the insurance company did not provide contact information for the buyer. The carburetor was not examined. In the emergency section of the pilots operating handbook under engine fire during start, the procedure is: 1. Starter…………………..Crank Engine 2. Mixture…………….…..Idle Cut-Off 3. Throttle………………...Open 4. Electric Fuel Pump…….Off 5. Fuel Selector……………Off ## Aircraft - Registration: [N601FT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N601FT), registered now, S/N 2841195, built 1989 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 28 (161) - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2841195 - Year built: 1989 - Airframe hours: 15651.3 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D3G 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Airborne Systems Inc., doing business as Space Coast Aviation - Registered owner: American Air Academy Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 10, 2016 - Departed: COI, Merritt Island, FL - Destination: COI, Merritt Island, FL - Airport: COI, Merritt Island, runway 11, 3,601 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 24; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 22, 2015; seat: right; flight hours: 867 total, 724 in this make and model, 713 as pilot in command, 189 in the last 90 days, 70 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 20; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 10 total, 10 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: KCOF, 8 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 20160629020919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160629020919A), Jun 29, 2016: Piper PA-28-161, Merrit Island, FL, Substantial damage. On June 29, 2016 around 1:00PM a flight school aircraft with a flight instructor and student pilot where performing local pattern flying during landing on roll… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 20, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93516. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 965 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40451339&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Piper Cadet PA-28-161 POH Excerpt (item 2, .PDF, 181 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40451340&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Piper%20Cadet%20PA-28-161%20POH%20Excerpt-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 1 photo, 174 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40451341&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo%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.