Accident Overview
On March 25, 2022, at approximately 1613 eastern daylight time, a Diamond DA-40NG, registration N471BL, was substantially damaged when it collided with trees near Johnston Regional Airport (JNX) in Smithfield, North Carolina. The flight instructor and the pilot receiving instruction sustained serious injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight.
Flight History
According to the flight instructor and the pilot receiving instruction, a preflight inspection revealed no anomalies. The airplane departed from runway 21 at JNX. Radar data indicated that the aircraft climbed to about 650 ft while executing a left turn. The flight instructor reported hearing an unusual noise from the engine and observed a drop in the rpm gauge. She then directed the pilot receiving instruction to turn back toward the airport. During the turn, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The flight instructor attempted an in-flight engine restart as the airplane descended, but the attempt was unsuccessful. Subsequently, the airplane struck trees approximately 1 mile from the departure end of the runway. The impact caused substantial damage to the fuselage, and both wings and the empennage were fractured.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the engine valvetrain was not timed correctly. This misalignment resulted in a piston striking a valve, causing the valve head to separate and fall into the cylinder. Review of the maintenance logbooks showed that the cylinder head and exhaust camshaft had been replaced the day before the accident flight.