What happened
On February 23, 2003, a Piper PA-28-161 was performing a local flight at Teuge Airport. The pilot, who had not flown for four weeks, had completed three circuits with an instructor before departing for a solo flight. During a right-hand turn toward the crosswind leg, the engine began to lose power.
In response to the engine issue, the pilot attempted a precautionary landing on runway 27, the opposite direction of the initial departure. The pilot did not utilize flaps during this approach. The aircraft contacted the runway approximately two-thirds of the way down the strip at a high forward speed. Despite applying maximum braking, which resulted in a tire failure, the aircraft could not be stopped before the airfield boundary. The plane slid across a drainage ditch and came to rest in a field. There were no injuries, though the aircraft sustained heavy damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft and the cockpit configuration following the accident. They discovered that the fuel-air mixture lever was set to a mid-position rather than the full-rich setting. The pilot stated he had not adjusted this lever during the flight and was unsure how it had reached that position. Additionally, the throttle was found to be approximately one-third open.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an improperly executed precautionary landing. Driven by the urgency to land the aircraft quickly due to the engine issue, the pilot performed a steep approach.
- The high approach speed, exacerbated by the failure to use flaps, made it impossible to stop the aircraft within the remaining runway length despite maximum braking.
- The engine power loss may have been caused by an incorrect fuel-air mixture resulting from the improperly positioned mixture lever.
- A post-flight check following the instructor's departure might have identified the incorrect mixture setting and prevented the incident.