SEA00LA190

The instructor reported that the flight took off with approximately 1/2 fuel; the student stated that the flight then proceeded normally for 45 minutes to an hour prior to the accident. Both pilots reported that after applying full power on a touch-and-go and departing the runway, the aircraft did not climb at an acceptable rate (although the student reported that 'The engine seemed to be running smoothly but without power.') The aircraft's stall warning activated and the instructor took control, but he was unable to arrest a 'shallow descent' despite applying full power. The aircraft crashed about 200 yards west of the end of the airstrip's runway. Available data did not support a lack of aircraft climb capability for the density altitude conditions, excess aircraft gross weight, or a significant carburetor icing hazard. The student's carbon monoxide (CO) level was found to be slightly elevated after the accident, but the instructor's CO level was normal. Post-accident examinations of the aircraft's engine and exhaust system did not reveal any evidence of pre-accident defects.

On September 26, 2000, approximately 1830 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N4686R, was substantially damaged in a crash during climbout from a touch-and-go at the Sunday Creek private airstrip approximately 6 miles northeast of Miles City, Montana. The commercial pilot-in-command and owner of the aircraft, a certificated flight instructor, was seriously injured in the accident. Another aircraft occupant, a student pilot, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local 14 CFR 91 instructional flight, which originated from Miles City.

The pilot reported that the flight took off with 25 gallons of 100LL aviation gasoline aboard (according to the aircraft's FAA type certificate data sheet, the aircraft's fuel capacity is 50 gallons comprising two 25-gallon wing tanks.) The student stated that the flight took off between 1700 and 1730, and proceeded normally for about 45 minutes of simulated instrument instruction under a view-limiting hood. The student stated that when the instructor removed the hood, the aircraft was in the pattern at the Sunday Creek airstrip. The student reported that the instructor told him to make a touch-and-go, which he did. Both pilots reported that after applying full power on the touch-and-go and departing the runway, the aircraft did not climb at an acceptable rate (although the student reported that "The engine seemed to be running smoothly but without power.") Both pilots stated they became confused or disoriented at this time, although both recalled the instructor taking control of the aircraft at this point (the student reported that the instructor took control "sometime after we cleared the runway...probably within 500' of the end...".) The instructor reported that he then initiated a shallow right turn "to allow more room for the left 180 degree turn that needed to be accomplished"), and that "the throttle was full in as was the carb heat, but the plane was in a shallow descent." Both pilots reported recalling that they then saw the aircraft pass a hill. The pilots did not have a clear recollection of the sequence of events beyond this point. The crash site was about 200 yards west of the northwest end of the airstrip's 3,500-foot by 50-foot turf runway 12/30.

According to a local sheriff's incident report, witnesses reported to responding local law enforcement officials that "the plane was [traveling] extremely low and was last observed passing the hills to the east of Sunday Creek, it was then lost behind the hills." The sheriff's incident report stated that the witnesses said the airplane "then resurfaced above the hills [traveling] back towards the Miles City airport; again at a very low altitude...". The sheriff's incident report stated the aircraft then crashed about 75 yards from a gun range building. The sheriff's incident reported also indicated that in a post-accident interview, the student told a deputy that the airplane's stall light activated during the accident sequence, at which point the instructor assumed control of the aircraft. The incident report indicated that responding deputies found that both pilots had suffered concussions in the accident.

The Sunday Creek airstrip is 2,431 feet above sea level, and the pilot reported the temperature as 70 degrees F on his NTSB accident report. For a pressure altitude of 2,431 feet and temperature of 70 degrees F, density altitude in the area was computed to be approximately 3,800 feet. According to a rate-of-climb versus density altitude chart in the Piper Cherokee 140B Owner's Handbook, the aircraft is nominally capable of a climb rate of approximately 520 feet per minute (FPM) at a density altitude of 3,800 feet.

The pilot furnished a weight-and-balance computation with his NTSB accident report indicating that the aircraft's gross weight at takeoff (with 25 gallons fuel aboard) was 1,865.6 pounds. The aircraft's maximum gross weight is 1,950 pounds in the utility category and 2,150 pounds in the normal category.

At 1851, Miles City reported a temperature of 21 degrees C and dewpoint of 2 degrees C. According to a Transport Canada carburetor icing hazard assessment chart, this combination of temperature and dewpoint poses a hazard of "light icing" at "cruise or descent power."

With the consent of the pilots, laboratory test results from the pilots' post-accident emergency medical treatment were obtained from Holy Rosary Health Center in Miles City. The laboratory test results revealed that at the time of admission, the student had a carbon monoxide level of 1.6 percent, with the normal range being zero to 1.5 percent. The instructor's carbon monoxide level was within the normal range.

An examination of the aircraft's exhaust system and a limited engine functional examination were conducted under the supervision of an inspector from the FAA Helena, Montana, Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) at Arlin's Aircraft Service, Inc., Belgrade, Montana, on November 2, 2000. The examinations did not reveal any pre-accident defects in the exhaust system or in engine function.