Piper PA-23-160 N3492P

Summary

On 19 May 2000 at about 13:12 local time, a Piper PA-23-160 registered N3492P was involved in an accident near Titusville, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 May 2000 at 13:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Titusville, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Space Coast Regional (TIX)

Coordinates

28.5803, -80.8201

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-160

Registration

N3492P

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA00FA163

1 person died.

The failure of the PIC to maintain control of the aircraft while in the simulated engine inoperative configuration in the landing pattern during a checkout flight resulting in an uncontrolled descent and collision with trees. A factor in the accident is the inadequate monitoring of aircraft control by the checkout pilot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to an eyewitness, the tower controller at Space Coast Regional Airport, Titusville, Florida, (TIX), who was controlling the flight in the landing pattern, when the airplane approached the right pattern abeam-of-landing point to runway 09, it abruptly entered a wings vertical attitude and dove for the ground. The CFI, the survivor, stated postcrash, that he was giving dual check-out procedures to the rated Commercial MEL pilot who was flying. When the CFI zero-thrusted the right engine in preparation for single engine landing practice, the aircraft abruptly entered a half roll to the left, pitched down, and collided with the terrain. Postcrash examination of the engines, airframe, and their components revealed nothing causal. The CFI stated he was not 'on the controls with the pilot' and did not know what control pressures he may have been applying. He also stated that outflow from nearby power plant smoke stacks and a recent runway change from 27 to 09 may have contributed to turbulence or air instability. Two tower controllers, one with 23 years experience at the TIX airport, and the other with 19 years at the TIX airport, stated that neither of them have ever heard an aircraft in the pattern complain of smoke stack generated air instability.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.