Accident Overview
On November 24, 2015, at approximately 1600 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180 (registration N3971R) was substantially damaged during a forced landing into trees after a total loss of engine power during the initial climb from Gwinnett County Airport (LZU) in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The flight instructor was seriously injured, and the student pilot incurred minor injuries. The instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions; no flight plan was filed.
Flight Sequence
According to the flight instructor's written statement, shortly after turning onto the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern for runway 7, the engine lost all power. The instructor took control of the airplane and, at about 500 feet above ground level, chose not to attempt a glide back to the airport. Instead, he performed a forced landing straight ahead into trees.
The student pilot's statement indicated that earlier that day, they departed LZU with approximately 34 gallons of fuel for a round-trip cross-country flight. After landing at the destination airport (about 60 miles from LZU), they completed two more full-stop landings before returning to LZU. Following an uneventful landing, the instructor wanted the student to perform one more landing. During the subsequent takeoff and climb, everything seemed normal until the airplane turned onto the crosswind leg, at which point the engine lost all power without any sputtering or roughness. The student described it as a smooth shutdown, similar to pulling the mixture to full lean after parking. The instructor attempted a restart, and the engine nearly caught but then shut off again.
Wreckage and Engine Examination
Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed damage to both wings and the fuselage. Both fuel tanks were compromised during impact, preventing a determination of fuel quantity. The engine was subsequently test-run successfully at a recovery facility.
Aircraft Information
The four-seat, low-wing, fixed tricycle-gear airplane (serial number 28-7105076) was manufactured in 1971. It was powered by a Lycoming O-360 180-horsepower engine equipped with a two-blade Sensenich propeller. Total fuel capacity was 50 gallons, stored in main tanks in each wing, selectable via a cockpit fuel selector. The most recent annual inspection was completed on November 13, 2015, at which time the airplane had 6,783 total hours; the engine had 579 hours since major overhaul.
Pilot Statements and Fuel Analysis
During interviews, both pilots stated they did not switch fuel tanks after the power loss. The student pilot stated that they "ran out of gas." Performance data for the airplane indicated fuel consumption of about 10 gallons per hour at 75% power. Based on the student's estimate of 34 gallons at the start of the day, the airplane should have had 5 to 10 gallons remaining at the accident site; however, all remaining fuel may have been in one tank. The flight instructor provided a written statement to the FAA but did not submit a completed NTSB Pilot/Operator Accident Report form despite multiple requests.