# NTSB MIA00LA193: Piper PA-23-160, N3317P, Winter Haven, FL, June 29, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 29, 2000, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Winter Haven, FL - Coordinates: 28.040979, -81.720268 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0410&lon=-81.7203&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report July 10, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49563 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA00LA193 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49563/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA193 ## Probable cause the flight instructor's failure to follow procedures/directives and his misjudgment of distance/altitude following a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in the proper touchdown point not being attained, an off airport landing being affected, and substantial damage to the aircraft during the emergency landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, takeoff - initial climb - reason for occurrence undetermined - precautionary landing - initiated, pilot in command(cfi) - Miscellaneous/other, descent - emergency - procedures/directives - not followed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - distance/altitude - misjudged, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - proper touchdown point - not attained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing - altitude - low, pilot in command(cfi) - go-around - not possible, pilot in command(cfi) ## Analysis The flight instructor stated that during the climbout, at about 500 feet indicated altitude, the left engine ceased operating. He said he took control of the airplane, performed the normal procedures, and flew back to the airport, making communication announcements on the frequency, 122.7. The instructor said that as he was flying the airplane, he noticed the landing gear was not coming down, so he leveled off and proceeded to pump the gear down. By the time the gear indicator lights showed three green lights, the instructor said that he had flown past the airport boundary at an altitude of 100 feet above ground level. The instructor said that he was going to try to turn around, but decided to proceed straight ahead and land in an orange grove, since the airplane was not climbing at Vyse. A certified FAA mechanic with inspection authorization examined the left engine, and did not find any mechanical failure or malfunction with the engine. ## Factual narrative On June 29, 2000, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23-160 Apache, N3317P, registered to and operated by Britannia Flight Center, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed after takeoff from Winter Haven Airport, Winter Haven, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated flight instructor, and one dual student received minor injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The flight instructor stated that the student was flying the airplane, and they had been performing touch-and-go landings, and had just taken off. The instructor further stated that during the climbout, at about 500 feet indicated altitude, the left engine ceased operating. The instructor said that as soon as he realized that the engine had ceased operating, he took control of the airplane. He said he recognized that the left engine had ceased operating by the yaw to the left, and he performed the normal procedures, and flew back to the airport, making communication announcements on the frequency, 122.7. The instructor said that as he was flying the airplane, he noticed the landing gear was not coming down, so he leveled off and proceeded to pump the gear down. By the time the gear indicator lights showed three green lights, the instructor said that he had flown past the airport boundary at an altitude of 100 feet above ground level. The instructor said that he was going to try to turn around, but decided to proceed straight ahead, since the airplane was not climbing at Vyse. He said he then looked for the nearest, safest place to put the airplane down, saw orange groves, and decided that the orange grove was the safest place to land. A certified FAA mechanic with inspection authorization examined the left engine, and did not find any mechanical failure or malfunction with the engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3317P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3317P-2002-07-31), registration cancelled 2002-07-31, S/N 23-1268, built 1957 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-23-160 - Registry model: [Piper PA-23-160](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-160) (registry code 7102304) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 23-1268 - Airframe hours: 2345 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-C 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Britannia Flight Center Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2000, 22 hours before - Departed: GIF - Airport: GIF, Winter Haven Airport, runway 4, 5,006 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 2,000 total, 250 in this make and model, 1,925 as pilot in command, 200 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: GIF, 2 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 20000629016179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000629016179A), Jun 29, 2000: Piper PA23160, Winter Haven, FL, No damage. (-23) While performing touch and go landings, the left engine failed on the third takeoff while securing the failed engine and lowering the landing gear. The… 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.