NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 26, 2013, about 1742 eastern daylight time a Piper PA-28-151, N75148, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff at Spruce Creek Airport (7FL6), Daytona Beach, Florida. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the positioning flight destined for Space Coast Regional Airport (TIX), Titusville, Florida, conducted under Title14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91.

According to the student pilot, after completion of an annual inspection, he completed a preflight inspection and notified his flight instructor that he was going to depart for TIX. After speaking with his flight instructor, he "started the engine while checking the brakes" and started taxiing towards the runway. The engine then stalled. He then "shut everything down" and spoke to the mechanic about what had just happened. The mechanic then advised him that the fuel selector was in the "OFF" position. The student pilot then moved the fuel selector to the left tank position which was the fuller of the two fuel tanks. The student pilot then started the checklist over again and restarted the airplane, taxied "the long way" to runway 5, stopped short of the runway, and then did the run-up. Several airplanes then took off in front of him and then one landed. He then radioed his intention to takeoff, taxied onto the runway and took off.

At approximately 300 feet, the engine "sputtered". He then leveled off, the engine "fired back up" but, lost power again. He was still over "part of the runway". He then radioed that he was going to make an emergency landing, maintained the best glide speed, and tried to land back on the runway but, missed the runway due to a "gust of wind" that pushed the airplane to the right. The pilot then observed a "dry runoff" and pushed the wheel hard to avoid trees and houses that were in front of him. The airplane touched down, skipped once, and then slid to a stop. The student pilot then shutdown and secured all of the airplane's systems, including the fuel selector prior to exiting the airplane.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot was issued an FAA second-class medical certificate and student pilot certificate on January 31, 2013. According to the student pilot, at the time of the accident he had accrued approximately 55 hours of total flight experience.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

According to FAA and maintenance records, the airplane was manufactured in 1976. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on the date of the accident, April 26, 2013. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accrued 3983.8 total hours of operation.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The recorded weather at New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport (EVB), located approximately 5 nautical miles east of the accident site, at 1747, included: winds from 070 degrees at 12 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 3,000 feet, temperature 26 degrees C, dew point 20 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.23 inches of mercury.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

According to the Airport Facility Directory, 7FL6 was a privately owned, uncontrolled airport. It had one runway oriented in a 05/23 configuration. Runway 05 was asphalt, in good condition, and was equipped with nonprecision runway markings. The total length of the runway was 4,000 feet, and its width was 176 feet. The threshold was displaced on both ends of the runway by 346 feet.

Obstructions in the form of 50 foot tall trees were present. They were located 1,500 feet off the departure end of the runway, and required a 5:1 slope to clear.

FLIGHT RECORDERS

The airplane was not equipped with a flight recorder nor was it required to be under the CFRs. The airplane was however equipped with a J.P. Instruments EDM 700 engine data management system which is a panel mounted instrument that the operator can monitor and which records up to 24 parameters related to engine operations. Depending on the installation, engine parameters that are monitored include:

- Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT)

- Cylinder Head Temperature (CHT)

- Oil Pressure and Temperature

- Manifold Pressure

- Outside Air Temperature

- Turbine Inlet Temperature

- Engine Revolutions per Minute (RPM)

- Compressor Discharge Temperature

- Fuel Flow

- Carburetor Temperature

- Battery Voltage

The EDM 700 can also calculate in real-time, horsepower, fuel used, shock cooling rate and EGT differentials between the highest and lowest cylinder temperatures. The calculations are also based on the aircraft installation.

The EDM 700 contains non-volatile memory (NVM) for data storage of the parameters that are recorded and calculated. The rate at which the data is stored is selectable by the operator from 2 to 500 seconds per sample. The memory can store up to 20 hours of data at a 6 second sample rate. The data can then be downloaded by the operator using J.P. Instruments software.

Examination of the EDM 700 installed in the airplane revealed that its memory contained approximately 9,474 points of data over 11 power cycles. The event flight was located by the unit's time stamp of April 26th and contained approximately 135 valid points of data which were recorded over a span of about 16 minutes.

The EDM 700 recorded time with the first data sample based on the unit's internal clock. The internal clock is set and updated by the operator and displayed upon power up. During power up of the unit at the NTSB's Vehicle Recorders Division the internal time was recorded against local time. Correlation of the data to eastern daylight time was established by using the unit's internal time and then applying a 4 hour and 45 minute offset.

Examination of the data revealed that the unit had recorded:

- CHT

- EGT

- OAT

- Engine Shock Cooling Rate

Examination of the engine parameters from 17:29:30 (prior to the event) and until 17:42:46 (when the unit was powered off) revealed that a power cycle was performed at 17:30:57, which was consistent with the power being shutoff after the engine stopped when the fuel selector was in the "OFF" position.

An increase in EGTs and CHTs was then recorded between 17:37:40 and 17:37:52 which was consistent with an engine runup.

The EGTs and CHTs were then steady from 17:38:04 to approximately 17:41:34 where the EGTs increased by approximately 271 degrees reaching their peak at approximately 17:41:52 which was consistent with takeoff. Then at 17:41:58 the EGTs suddenly dropped approximately 441 degrees, then moments later increased approximately 265 degrees, then continuously dropped until the end of the recorded data.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Examination of the accident site by a FAA inspector revealed that, the airplane had touched down to the right of the runway centerline, then left the runway surface, traveled down an embankment, and came to rest in a dry retention pond.

Examination of the airplane revealed that it had incurred substantial damage to the wings, and fuselage.

The propeller was bent, the nose landing gear was pushed back, the firewall was bent, and the engine mount was bent. The right aft fuselage was wrinkled and bent, the right stabilator attachment was pushed forward and bent, and the right stabilizer tip was bent.

The left stabilizer was cracked, the tail cone was displaced to the right, and its mounting bolts had pulled through. The aft left fuselage was displaced to the right, the left wing was wrinkled at the wing root, the top of the left main landing gear was protruding through the top of the left wing and the bottom portion was torn off. The left wing flap was bent, and the left wing skin was wrinkled.

Examination of the fuel system revealed that fuel was present in both fuel tanks. Fuel was also present in the fuel line to the carburetor, and when the electric fuel pump was turned on, the fuel pressure gauge increased until it indicated 4 pounds per square inch of fuel pressure. Fuel was then observed to come out of the carburetor supply line.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

On April 4, 2013, the wreckage was removed from the accident site and transported to an aircraft salvage facility where an engine test run could be safely conducted.

On April 6, 2013, the engine test run was conducted. The airplane was secured to a trailer; and the propeller was replaced with an undamaged propeller. The engine was examined and it was determined that all components were secured and the engine could be run in a safe manner. Fuel was provided to the engine and it started and ran immediately on the first start attempt. A magneto check was then performed at normal static rpm with no faults. The engine was then accelerated to 2,300 rpm. The acceleration and sustained operation at 2,300 rpm was smooth. Leaning and enriching of the mixture was performed and no loss of engine rpm was noted. The fuel primer was opened to verify its operation and rpm loss was negligible. The engine was then shutdown, and was then restarted with no anomalies being noted.

NTSB 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.