Accident Details
On July 10, 2011, at approximately 1115 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161 (registration N9202C) operated by Euro American School of Aviation Inc was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from Ormond Beach Municipal Airport (OMN), Ormond Beach, Florida. The flight instructor and student pilot sustained serious injuries. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed.
Flight History
The flight originated from OMN at 1030, about 45 minutes prior to the accident. The instructor and student practiced maneuvers in the local area before returning to OMN for touch-and-go landings on runway 26. After the second takeoff, the Ormond Beach Tower lost sight of the airplane. The airplane first struck trees in a wooded area approximately 150 feet beyond the departure end of runway 26. The wreckage came to rest on the ground just south of the extended runway centerline, with the nose perpendicular to the centerline. Substantial damage occurred to the fuselage and wings.
In a written statement, the flight instructor reported that this was his second flight of the day in N9202C. The student pilot was new to the school; this was his first flight in the USA, with about 26 hours of prior training in the United Kingdom. During preflight, the instructor verified there was at least 12 gallons of 100LL fuel per tank, totaling 24 gallons, which he believed sufficient for about 3 hours at a consumption of 8 gallons per hour. The startup and taxi took longer than usual due to the student's unfamiliarity.
The instructor stated that after takeoff, they flew to a practice area for routine maneuvers, then returned for touch-and-go landings. The instructor performed the first touch-and-go to demonstrate procedures. On the second touch-and-go, flown by the student, the engine lost power after climbing to about 200 feet AGL. The instructor took control but determined the airplane was too low to reach a safe landing area. About 40 minutes after the accident, a thunderstorm passed through and contaminated the accident site.
Examination Findings
The NTSB did not travel to the site; an FAA inspector performed the on-site examination. There was no evidence that the propeller was being driven by power before impact. Both fuel tanks were compromised and void of fuel. The primer knob was stowed, throttle was full forward, fuel selector was in the left tank position, electric fuel pump was on, and the mixture was in a normal range. The firewall-mounted fuel filter screen was clean with about one tablespoon of fuel in the bowl. No fuel was in the carburetor bowl; the throttle linkage showed no damage. The carburetor jet operated normally. The main fuel line to the mechanical fuel pump was void of fuel; the pump diaphragm was intact and operational. No fuel was detected in the pump bowl. Valve covers were removed; intake and exhaust valves moved correctly. The left magneto showed no damage; the right magneto could not be removed.
A review of EASA flight logs showed that on the accident day, the airplane was flown for about 1.5 hours on the first flight. The accident occurred about 1.2 hours into the second flight. The airplane was not refueled between flights. The last refueling slip showed about 26 gallons added the day prior. Daily records indicated three different pilots flew the airplane for about 4.8 hours without evidence of refueling before the accident. The instructor reported about 12 gallons per tank before the flight. According to the operating handbook, best economy mixture burns about 8.5 gallons per hour, yielding about 1.4 hours for 12 gallons. The preflight ground checks (0.2 hours) and flight time (1.2 hours) totaled about 1.4 hours of fuel burn. Both pilots stated the fuel selector was in the right tank position throughout the flight and was not switched.