History of Flight
On June 9, 2014, at about 2158 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172S, registration N5524L, experienced a partial loss of engine power and impacted the ground during the initial climb after takeoff from Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB), Florida. The flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire. The airplane was registered to Bravo Leasing LLC and operated by Phoenix East Aviation under Part 91 as an instructional flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed.
The flight instructor was conducting a night proficiency flight for the private pilot, who was training for his commercial pilot certificate. Review of training logs indicated this was the third instructional flight together.
Air traffic control voice transcription showed the call sign was Phoenix 35 (PX35). At 2145, PX35 was cleared for a full stop or touch-and-go landing on runway 7L, at pilot discretion. One pilot replied they would perform a touch-and-go. The airplane was subsequently instructed to follow another airplane and cleared for a second touch-and-go about 2153. PX35 acknowledged and about 3 minutes later requested to return to land. This was the last transmission.
A DAB airport employee observed from a vehicle. He stated the airplane performed a touch-and-go, then experienced a series of engine "backfires" and an audible loss of rpm during the initial climb. The airplane struggled to gain altitude, reached a maximum of 250-300 feet above ground, then the right wing dipped, followed by a left turn and immediate stall. It entered a nose-down descent and disappeared behind a tree line. He located the airplane off airport property engulfed in flames.
Another witness observed the airplane fly over the tree line; it looked as if the pilot was turning back to the airport when it entered an "aerodynamic stall" and impacted the ground.
Personnel Information
The certificated flight instructor (CFI), age 22, held a CFI certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane issued December 10, 2013. At her most recent FAA first-class medical examination on January 28, 2014, she reported 960 total hours and 320 hours in the last six months. Her logbook was destroyed by fire. Flight school records showed about 1,170 total flight hours, of which 101 were at night.
The pilot receiving instruction, age 22, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land rating. His training records showed 139 total hours, 63 as pilot-in-command, and 14 hours in the preceding 90 days. He had logged about 12 hours of night flight. He held an FAA first-class medical certificate issued October 11, 2012. His logbook was also destroyed.
Aircraft Information
The four-seat, high-wing airplane, serial number 172S11378, was manufactured in 2014. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180-horsepower engine with a McCauley 1A170E propeller. A 100-hour inspection was completed on June 4, 2014, about 5 hours before the accident, at which time the airplane had about 100 total hours since new.
Another company flight instructor reported that on June 6, 2014, the airplane experienced a rough running engine and a loss of 400 rpm on climb out during a touch-and-go. It was taken out of service. Spark plugs were removed with no defects noted; an engine run-up showed normal rpm drop; magneto check was reported as "good." After inspection, the airplane was returned to service. It was flown on an instructional flight the morning of the accident without any discrepancies.
Meteorological Information
Weather reported at DAB (elevation 34 feet) included wind from 160 degrees at 3 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, few clouds at 4,500 feet agl, temperature 27°C, dew point 22°C, and altimeter setting 29.97 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was about 220 feet south of the runway 7R centerline in an open field. The airplane came to rest flat, upright, on a heading of about 060 degrees magnetic. The cockpit, cabin, instrument panel, and instruments were consumed by fire.
The left wing outboard section was buckled and shifted forward; the flap was retracted; the aileron remained attached at one of two points and was buckled. Flight control cable continuity was established to the cockpit. The fuel tank was fire-damaged and the fuel cap secure.
The right wing outboard section was buckled and fire-damaged; flap retracted and fire-damaged; aileron remained attached and fire-damaged. Control cable continuity was established. The fuel tank was fire-damaged and cap secure.
The empennage aft of the rear window was buckled. Vertical and horizontal stabilizers remained attached; right horizontal stabilizer buckled; rudder attached; control cables traced to cockpit; elevators attached with control cable continuity confirmed.
The engine was heavily fire-damaged; the oil sump breached; rear accessories destroyed. The engine was partially disassembled. Connecting rods rotated freely on crankshaft rod journals; no camshaft or lifter damage. The rear main bearing showed fire damage but no rotational scoring. Cylinders removed; no valve or guide damage; valves moved freely. No cylinder damage.
The fuel injector servo was impact-separated and fire-damaged; rubber diaphragms fire-damaged; no debris in fuel inlet screen. Flow divider remained attached; rubber diaphragm melted; air passed freely through injector lines. Fuel injector nozzles were unobstructed. No fuel observed in engine fuel lines or components. Spark plugs showed normal signatures per Champion chart. Magnetos and ignition harnesses were destroyed by fire.
The propeller remained attached to the crankshaft flange; the flange was impact-separated from the crankshaft. The propeller and flange were located in front of the engine; both blades displayed chordwise scoring.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy was performed on the CFI by the Office of the Medical Examiner, Daytona Beach, Florida. Forensic toxicology by FAA found no carbon monoxide in blood (cavity), no ethanol in vitreous, and no drugs in urine.
An autopsy was performed on the pilot receiving instruction by the same office. Toxicology found no carbon monoxide in blood cavity and no ethanol in vitreous. Tetrahydrocannabinol (marihuana) was detected in blood cavity at 0.00136 µg/ml; Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid in urine at 0.0484 µg/ml, and in blood cavity at 0.0021 µg/ml.