Piper PA-28R-180 N4567J

Summary

On 22 September 2012 at about 18:30 local time, a Piper PA-28R-180 registered N4567J was involved in an accident near Roanoke, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 September 2012 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Roanoke, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Northwest Regional (52F)

Coordinates

33.0506, -97.2319

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-180

Registration

N4567J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Roanoke → Roanoke

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12FA654

2 people died.

The loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel contamination. Contributing to the accident was maintenance personnel's failure to adequately correct the water contamination effects. Contributing to the severity of the occupants' injuries was the lack of shoulder restraints.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot, who had purchased the airplane about 2 months earlier, and the flight instructor departed on an instructional flight. Two witnesses reported that the airplane's engine did not sound right during the takeoff and the ground roll was longer than normal. Just beyond the runway, the airplane turned slightly left and then impacted the top of several trees. Both wings separated and remained lodged in the treetops; first responders noted fuel running from the wings. The emergency locater transmitter (ELT) was in found in the off position. Examination of the engine revealed water and contaminants in the fuel system, especially in the injection servo and fuel pump, which would have resulted in the rough-running engine and loss of engine power. A review of the airplane's maintenance records did not reveal any entries since the pilot had purchased the airplane. The airplane's last maintenance entry was at the annual inspection, which was about the time the airplane was purchased. The entry stated "found water in tanks - sumped tanks, cleaned flow divider, fuel screens and lines."  The log also had the entry that stated "c/w FAR 91.207 ELT insp by installing new batteries, due March 2017." The airport manager had witnessed the same pilot depart in the accident airplane about a month earlier; however, the airplane's engine did not sound right, and the pilot returned to the airport. A review of the pilot's logbook revealed an entry "aborted X-country, lost engine power, so landed" on that date. About 2 weeks later, an e-mail from the pilot to family members stated that a clogged fuel injection system was found after the aborted flight. Two days after that, the pilot's logbook reflected 1.1 flight hours with a note that stated "test flight, perfect." On that same date, the pilot wrote a check to a maintenance company at the airport on which the airplane's registration number and "Maint" were written in the memo field. It is likely that either at the annual inspection and/or 2 weeks before the accident, maintenance personnel did not appropriately address the fuel contamination issues that persisted at the time of the accident. The airplane was not equipped with shoulder belts. During the impact sequence, the pilot likely rotated about his lap belt, braced himself with his arms and fractured his shoulders, but his head struck the instrument panel, resulting in his fatal skull injury. The flight instructor similarly rotated forward about his lap belt; his chest and abdomen struck the instrument panel resulting in his fatal injuries. Had the airplane been equipped with single or double shoulder restraints, the pilots' injuries likely would have been less severe and they might have survived.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.