History of Flight
On February 22, 2017, at approximately 0956 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-38-112, registration N2452C, was destroyed when it impacted terrain in East Haven, Connecticut, during the initial climb from Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN). The flight instructor sustained serious injuries, and the student pilot was fatally injured. The aircraft was operated by American Flight Academy as an instructional flight under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed.
According to an air traffic control transcript, the airplane had completed four touch-and-go landings on runway 20, a 5,600-foot-long by 150-foot-wide asphalt runway. At 0955:43, during the initial climb after the fourth landing, one of the pilots declared an emergency, stating, "mayday mayday mayday we're going to land on the other runway." The controller cleared the airplane to land, and no further communications were received. Another flight instructor in the traffic pattern reported hearing the emergency transmission and the airplane's stall warning horn in the background. A witness observed the airplane spin to the left, descend nose-down, and impact terrain about 1,000 feet southeast of the departure end of runway 20. Radar data did not show any targets correlating with the accident airplane during the initial climb.
The flight instructor was interviewed at a hospital by an FAA inspector. He recalled practicing airwork and returning for touch-and-go landings but did not remember the accident sequence.
Personnel Information
The flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane, as well as a flight instructor certificate for airplane single-engine. His most recent first-class medical certificate was issued November 14, 2014. According to his logbook, he had about 236 total flight hours, with 12 hours in the same make and model. He flew about 28 hours in the 30 days preceding the accident.
The student pilot had about 17 total flight hours, of which 15 were in the same make and model. He had not yet flown solo.
Aircraft Information
The two-seat, low-wing, fixed tricycle-gear airplane was manufactured in 1978. It was powered by a Lycoming O-235 112-horsepower engine driving a two-blade, fixed-pitch Sensenich propeller. The airframe had accumulated about 8,473 total hours; the engine had 2,508 hours since major overhaul. The most recent 100-hour inspection was completed on September 30, 2016, after which the airplane operated for 78 hours. Maintenance records showed no prior anomalies with the fuel selector. The maintenance manual instructed that the fuel selector be inspected for condition, security, and operation during 100-hour inspections, and that the insert, position washer, and O-rings be lubricated if the valve binds or sticks.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage came to rest upright in a marsh, oriented on a near north magnetic heading. Both wings remained attached; ailerons and flaps were attached. The ailerons were about neutral; flaps partially extended. Fuel caps were secured; both wing fuel tanks were breached, but several gallons of fuel remained. The right wing was buckled; the left wing exhibited more leading edge damage and an upward-bent wingtip, consistent with left wing impact before the right. The empennage was curled up and left; control surfaces remained intact. Flight control continuity was confirmed. The elevator trim cable was wrapped twice around the spool, indicating a trim position between neutral and full nose-up. Seatbelts and harnesses remained intact. The throttle and mixture levers were forward; magnetos selected to both. The fuel selector handle was positioned to the right main fuel tank.
The engine was partially buried in mud but attached; propeller remained attached without rotational damage. Engine examination revealed oil throughout; thumb compression was attained on all cylinders; camshaft, crankshaft, and valve train continuity was confirmed. The engine-driven fuel pump produced suction and compression when actuated; the electric fuel pump activated when connected to a battery. Carburetor components were intact; the bowl contained a mixture of fuel and water consistent with submersion. The left magneto produced spark; the right magneto had separated during impact and its breaker points housing was fractured, resulting in no gap. Spark plugs showed normal wear on top; bottom plugs exhibited corrosion from brackish water.
During airframe examination, the fuel selector valve would not move when the handle was moved. The valve was removed and partially disassembled. Its polymeric insert had fractured and was positioned to provide only about 20% openings to the right main fuel tank inlet and engine outlet, instead of the intended 100%. Metallurgical examination of the insert showed fracture features consistent with rotational ductile overstress and abrasive wear from contact with burs on the valve housing.
Medical Information
An autopsy on the student pilot, performed by the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, listed blunt trauma as the cause of death. Toxicological testing by the FAA on both pilots was negative for the student pilot; positive results for the flight instructor were consistent with emergency medical treatment he received after the accident.