ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 294902
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| Date: | Tuesday 23 December 2003 |
| Time: | 11:05 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-44-180 Seminole |
| Owner/operator: | Beaver Aviation Service Inc. |
| Registration: | N432PA |
| MSN: | 4496058 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Prospect, Pennsylvania -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Beaver Falls Airport, PA (BFP/KBVI) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The flight instructor and the multi-engine student were conducting single-engine training. Approximately 2,000 - 2,500 feet agl, the flight instructor reduced power on the right engine to a zero-thrust setting. After maneuvering the airplane for 4-5 minutes, the instructor shut down the engine and feathered the propeller. After performing single engine maneuvers for about 5 minutes, the student attempted to restart the right engine "per the published procedure," which included unfeathering the propeller, but was unsuccessful. The instructor then noticed that the airplane had descended to an altitude of 1,300-1,500 feet agl, so he had the student fly the airplane while he attempted to restart the windmilling engine. When the airplane was 500-700 feet agl, the flight instructor took over the controls, and told the student that they were going to land in a field below. The flight instructor set up an approach to the field, and deployed the landing gear and 25-degrees flaps. While on the short-final leg of the approach, the airplane hit the tops of some trees bordering the field, then impacted the ground. A post-accident inspection of the left and right engines revealed no mechanical anomalies. A review of the flight instructor's logbook revealed that he had accumulated 4.8 hours of multi-engine airplane flight instruction experience. The flight school had an altitude of 3,000 feet agl established as their minimum for performing intentional single engine shut-down. According to the Piper PA-44 information manual, intentional one-engine operations should not be performed at an altitude of less than 4,000 feet above the ground.
Probable Cause: The flight instructor's improper in-flight decision, which included an inappropriate altitude selection for intentional single engine operation. Factors were the inability of the flight instructor to restart the right engine for undetermined reasons, and the early deployment of flaps and/or landing gear that did not allow the airplane to clear trees.
Sources:
NTSB IAD04LA005
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Oct-2022 15:34 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
| 17-Nov-2022 16:06 | Ron Averes | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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