Piper PA-44-180 N730FT

Summary

On 10 August 2010 at about 05:55 local time, a Piper PA-44-180 registered N730FT, operated by Orlando Flight Academy, was involved in an accident near Eastman, Georgia, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 August 2010 at 05:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Eastman, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Heart of Georgia Regional Air (EZM)

Coordinates

32.1981, -83.1344

Aircraft

Piper PA-44-180

Registration

N730FT

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Orlando Flight Academy

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St. Augustine → Eastman

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ERA10LA410

3 people had minor injuries.

Both pilots’ failure to use emergency checklist procedures for restarting the engine after the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that the fuel tanks were approximately full prior to the instructional cross-country flight. During the descent, the left engine and then the right engine lost total engine power. The CFI assumed control of the airplane and initiated an engine restart, which was unsuccessful. The airplane struck several trees and came to rest inverted. According to the airplane’s pilot operating handbook, in order to begin restoring power, the fuel selector must be in the "ON" position. Examination of the wreckage indicated that the fuel selector valves were in the "OFF" positions; further, no malfunctions or anomalies were found to prevent the engines from operating normally. According to both pilots, neither could recall turning the fuel selector valves to the "OFF" positions. In a written statement provided by the flight school's assistant chief flight instructor, a rear seat passenger would be able to inadvertently retard both fuel selector valves to the "OFF" position. Although it is probable that the inadvertent retarding of the selector valves caused the initial engine failures, there was no evidence to indicate that the engines could not have been restarted had the air start or the engine securing procedure checklists been accomplished and the fuel selector valves been placed in the "ON" position.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.