- Date
- September 20, 2005, 15:28 local (19:28 UTC)
- Place
- Millville, NJ
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6494JPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050920032329A
- Case key
- 62501
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The flight instructor's improper in-flight decision to perform a emergency landing to a runway, with a tailwind, and his failure to maintain airspeed after aborting that landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with terrain. Factors in the accident were the partial loss of engine power due to a cracked cylinder, and tailwind condition.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After takeoff from runway 28, at an altitude of 600 feet msl, the pilot initiated a right turn. During the turn, the engine began to "run rough," and the engine rpm decreased to between 1,800 - 2,000 rpm. The flight instructor told the pilot to return to the airport, and the pilot set up the airplane for a downwind landing on runway 10. When the airplane was halfway down the runway, the pilots decided to perform a go-around. They applied full power, and initiated a "slight" climbing right turn above trees at the departure end of runway 28, and then a left turn to return for landing on runway 28. During the turn, the aircraft "entered an accelerated stall," and the left main landing gear impacted the ground. The airplane continued across a grass area and struck a group of trees. Examination of the engine revealed the number 3 cylinder contained a crack from the spark plug hole to a point between the cylinder intake and exhaust valve. The most recent annual inspection was performed 2 months prior to the accident, during which no abnormalities were noted with the cylinders. At the time of the accident, the wind was from 250 degrees at 7 knots. The airport consisted of two runways; runway 10/28, which was 6,002 feet long by 150 feet wide, and runway 14/32 which was 5,057 feet long by 150 feet wide.
Factual narrative
On September 20, 2005, at 1528 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N6494J, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees during a go-around at the Millville Municipal Airport (MIV), Millville, New Jersey. The certificated flight instructor and the certificated private pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight. The instructional flight was destined for the Atlantic City International Airport (ACY), Atlantic City, New Jersey, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the flight instructor, after takeoff from runway 28 at MIV, and while at an altitude of 600 feet msl, the pilot initiated a right turn toward the Cedar Lake VOR. During the turn, the engine began to "run rough," and the engine rpm decreased to between 1,800 - 2,000 rpm. He instructed the pilot to return to MIV, at approximately 500 feet, and the pilot reduced power, applied flaps, and set up the airplane for a downwind landing on runway 10. During the landing, the airplane had not touched down, as it continued halfway down the runway. Because there was a jet aircraft waiting at the departure end of the runway, and workers with equipment at the runway intersections, the pilots elected to perform a go-around. They applied full power, and initiated a "slight" climbing right turn above trees at the departure end of runway 28, and then a left turn to return for landing on runway 28. During the turn, the airplane "entered an accelerated stall," and the left main landing gear impacted the ground. The airplane continued across a grass area and struck a group of trees.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the engine after the accident. According to the inspector, the number 3 cylinder contained a crack from the spark plug hole, to a point between the cylinder intake and exhaust valve.
Examination of maintenance records for the airplane revealed the number 2 and number 3 cylinders were replaced with reconditioned cylinders on January 17, 2000. Since that date, the engine accumulated 1,287 hours of flight time. The most recent annual inspection was performed on July 12, 2005. The compression check values for the number 2 and number 3 cylinders were 72/80 psi and 74/80 psi, respectively. The average compression check values for all four cylinders over the previous 5 years was between 68/80 psi and 76/80 psi.
The winds reported at MIV, at 1454, were from 250 degrees at 7 knots.
The airport consisted of two runways; runway 10/28, which was 6,002 feet long by 150 feet wide, and runway 14/32 which was 5,057 feet long by 150 feet wide.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6494J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-4925
- Airframe hours
- 9,390
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- George Loose
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2005 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- MIV · Millville, NJ
- Destination
- ACY · Atlantic City, NJ
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MIV · Millville Municipal Airport
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2004
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,159 total · 1,000 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 625 total · 16 in this make and model · 542 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- MIV
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N6494J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.