Accident Briefs: January 2019

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PIPER PA-28-140

Stonewall, Texas/Injuries: 1 Fatal

The airplane owner and a mechanic completed the airplane's annual inspection the morning of the accident. The mechanic did no work but returned the airplane to service with an endorsement that the annual inspection/airworthiness requirements had been met based on his determination that the engine runup was satisfactory. The airplane departed but returned to the airport shortly after the departure. During the return, a witness said that the airplane was "way too high," and its approach was "pretty steep." The airplane touched down about halfway down the short-grass runway and was "going way too fast." The airplane overran the end of the runway and into a pond where it became submerged. Postaccident examination of the runway revealed the presence of skid marks from the airplane main landing gear wheels along the last 300 ft of the runway.

The propeller exhibited rotational signatures but with some loss of torque. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed numerous unairworthy maintenance items and/or lack of maintenance to the engine and accessories; further the engine and various accessories surpassed their manufacturers' recommended time for overhaul/replacement. The exhaust manifold was blocked with internal fractured pieces that would have resulted in power loss. The condition of these pieces was consistent with a failure that had been preexisting. The induction hose to the carburetor was the wrong part for the installation. The hose was collapsed and would have restricted airflow into the carburetor resulting in power loss. Both magnetos were no longer serviceable and would have produced minimal ignition. The engine timing was not set to the engine manufacturer's specification. Had the mechanic conducted a proper annual inspection, he would have identified many of the issues found during the airplane's postaccident examination.

Based on the evidence, the pilot likely returned to the airport due to a loss of engine power. It could not be determined which of the many discrepancies led to the loss of engine power. Further, the pilot did not attain a power-off approach glideslope that would have led to a proper touchdown point near the approach end of the runway.

Probable Cause(s): The pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point following a loss of engine power and his inability to stop the airplane on the short, soft runway. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate maintenance of the airplane by the owner and the mechanic and the improper annual inspection by the mechanic.

LUSCOMBE 8F

Vicksburg, Michigan/Injuries: 1 Fatal

The commercial pilot was found lying on the ground under the nose of the airplane with a fatal head injury from a propeller strike. Normal engine start for this airplane required hand propping the engine. The airplane was found with the left wheel chocked, and the magneto, throttle control, primer, and fuel tank selector settings as expected for an engine start. It is likely that, during hand propping, the pilot inadvertently entered the path of the propeller. The Federal Aviation Administration advises pilots that hand propping should only be attempted with two properly trained people, and the pilot was alone when he was fatally injured.

Probable cause(s): The pilot's inadvertent contact with the propeller while hand propping the engine, which resulted in a fatal injury.

DIAMOND AIRCRAFT DA 40

Marlborough, Massachusetts/Injuries: 4 Injuries

The pilot reported that, during landing, the airplane touched down in the first third of the 1,659-ftlong runway, but the airplane did not seem to slow as normal with the brakes applied. He pumped the brakes, but the deceleration was "less than expected." He considered performing a go around but decided to use maximum braking instead. With maximum braking applied, the airplane veered off the runway to the right and impacted a fence.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

He further reported that, following the accident, he inspected the runway and found solid skid marks from the right tire and broken skid marks from the left tire.

The pilot reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was light and variable and predominately from 280°. The automated weather observation station located about 12 miles east of the accident airport reported that, about 19 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 220° at 12 knots. The airplane landed on runway 32.

The calculated landing roll with full flaps was 930 ft, and the landing distance over a 50-ft obstacle was 2,020 ft.

The manufacturer stated that "For a safe landing the landing distance available (LDA) should be at least equal to the landing distance of a 50 ft (15m) obstacle."

Probable cause(s): The pilot's improper decision to land on a runway that was too short for a safe landing and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control in tailwind conditions.

The reports republished here are from the NTSB and are printed verbatim and in their complete form.