Piper PA-28R-201 N186CF

Summary

On 26 August 2009 at about 19:05 local time, a Piper PA-28R-201 registered N186CF, operated by Aviation Adventures, was involved in an accident near Luray, Virginia, United States. 2 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

26 August 2009 at 19:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Luray, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Luray Caverns Airport (W45)

Coordinates

38.6669, -78.5006

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-201

Registration

N186CF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Aviation Adventures

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Luray → Leesburg

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA09LA494

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power during initial climb for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial-rated pilot receiving instruction and the certificated flight instructor (CFI) flew a 50-nautical mile flight to an outlying airport, then boarded the airplane for the return flight. The pilot observed normal indications on the engine instruments throughout the taxi and engine run-up. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane seemed "sluggish," the airspeed began to drop, and the airplane experienced a partial, then total, loss of engine power. During the subsequent forced landing, the airplane clipped a telephone pole prior to impacting a clearing. The CFI stated that he observed no abnormal indications at any time prior to the initial loss of engine power during takeoff. During an engine test run subsequent to the accident, while operating at moderate power, the fuel flow gauge began fluctuating before the engine suddenly lost power. The engine was re-started and again lost power after about 2 minutes. The engine-driven fuel pump was removed and disassembled with no anomalies noted. The fuel line connecting the fuel pump to the fuel servo was removed and examined, and no evidence of blockage or degradation was observed. A visual inspection, flow test, and teardown inspection of the fuel servo and flow divider at the manufacturer's facility revealed no anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.