Piper PA-44-180 N3060D

Summary

On 4 April 2001 at about 15:00 local time, a Piper PA-44-180 registered N3060D was involved in an accident near Osteen, Florida, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 April 2001 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Osteen, Florida, United States

Coordinates

28.9167, -81.0833

Aircraft

Piper PA-44-180

Registration

N3060D

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sanford → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

NTSB number

MIA01LA109

Nobody was injured.

The pilot in command, flight instructor's delayed feathering of the right propeller after engine failure resulting in the airplane being unable to maintain altitude with the remaining engine and damage to the airplane during a forced landing in a field.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot in command, flight instructor stated the engine runup prior to takeoff was within normal parameters. The dual student performed a normal takeoff. While maneuvering 5 miles southeast of Lake Ashby, the dual student applied climb engine power and initiated a climb. The dual student stated that the right engine loss of power occurred at about 2,000 feet. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and turned back toward the airport. The right engine had a short power recovery and then failed completely. While maintaining VySE, 88 knots, the airplane was descending about 200 feet per minute. At this time it became evident that they could not make it back to the airport and would have to make a landing in a field. He assisted the flight instructor with the "Landing with an inoperative engine" checklist and at this time they feathered the right propeller. The field they picked looked to be flat with grass. After landing they found the braking was not effective on the very wet grass. At the end of the field there was a 12 feet wide and 4 feet deep canal that sloped down. The airplane slid off the embankment and landed hard on the next field. The airplane suffered landing gear damage. Postcrash examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector, showed the right engine magneto was inoperative The internal inspection of the magneto revealed that neither set of breaker points were opening. Examination of the right magneto by Teledyne Continental Motors personnel, under the supervision of an FAA inspector, showed that there were signatures indicating excessive temperature that suggest overheating of the rear bearing as the origin of the magneto malfunction. The Piper Aircraft Corporation, PA-44-180 Pilot Operating Handbook, states in Section 3, Emergency Procedures, Engine Inoperative Procedures, that if altitude permits, a restart may be attempted. If restart fails or if altitude does not permit restart, see Engine Securing Procedure. The Engine Securing Procedure states the propeller from the inoperative engine should be feathered.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.