Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-28-151 near Daytona Beach, FL — 2013-04-26

Final reportERA13LA220
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Date
2013-04-26
Location
Daytona Beach, FL, USA
Airport
7FL6
Aircraft
PIPER PA-28-151
Registration
N75148
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations did not reveal any preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB narrative

After completing an annual inspection of the airplane, the student pilot completed a preflight inspection and notified his flight instructor that he was going to depart. He reported that, while taxiing toward the runway, the engine stalled. He then "shut everything down" and spoke to a mechanic about what had just happened. The mechanic advised him that the fuel selector was in the "OFF" position. The student pilot then moved the fuel selector to the left-tank position. The student pilot then restarted the airplane, taxied onto the runway, and took off. About 300 feet above ground level, the engine "sputtered." The pilot then leveled off the airplane and the engine restarted, but it lost power again. He then radioed that he was going to make an emergency landing, maintained the best glide speed, and tried to reland on the runway, but he missed the runway due to a "gust of wind" that pushed the airplane right. The pilot then lowered the nose to avoid trees and houses beyond the end of the runway. The airplane touched down right of the runway centerline, skipped once, and then slid to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Data recorded by the airplane's onboard engine data monitoring system were consistent with a loss of engine power after takeoff, the power returning, and then a second loss of engine power. A postaccident engine test run did not reveal any preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Fuel was found in both fuel tanks. The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were not conducive to the accumulation of carburetor ice.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have checked fuel selector before starting engine.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 16 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents16

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