What happened
On 22 July 2004, a Piper PA-3 to 200 Seneca, registration G-BETT, was conducting a Continued Airworthiness Flight Test (CAFT) near Maidstone, Kent. The flight, part of a Certificate of Airworthiness renewal process, departed Biggin Hill Airport with the pilot in the left seat and the aircraft owner acting as an observer in the right seat. The aircraft was fully fuelled for the testing procedures.
During the flight, the crew performed scheduled engine shutdown and single-engine climb manoeuvres. After successfully testing the climb on one engine, the crew decided to repeat the exercise with the opposite engine. While performing this second single-engine climb at approximately 3,000 feet, the right-hand engine suffered a sudden loss of power, dropping to roughly 1,200 RPM. The engine failed to respond to throttle inputs, leaving the crew uncertain if the engine was running at low power or windmilling.
In an attempt to recover, the pilot tried to restart the left engine. The crew attempted various restart techniques, including setting the throttles to full open and the mixtures to off in an attempt to clear potential flooding. However, the engines failed to restart. Due to the low altitude and rapidly decreasing airspeed, the pilot was forced to execute a crash landing into a cornfield. The impact caused a major fracture to the fuselage, and the aircraft was destroyed. Both crew members sustained 2 serious injuries, including broken bones.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the cause of the sudden power loss in the right engine and the subsequent failure of the restart attempts. Investigators examined the fuel system and found that the fuel was uncontaminated, with no evidence of water in the lines, pumps, or filters. Testing also confirmed that the magnetos, which had been recently overhauled, were functioning correctly.
Findings
- The right engine experienced a sudden loss of power during a single-engine climb.
- The crew attempted to restart the engines, but the attempts were unsuccessful.
- The exact cause of the initial power loss to the right engine could not be determined.
- There was a possibility that the engines became flooded during the restart attempts, a known issue previously experienced by the aircraft owner with similar Lycoming engines, particularly when fuel booster pumps are active.