Piper PA34 N456AG

Summary

On 28 July 2019 at about 21:09 local time, a Piper PA34 registered N456AG, operated by Us Aviation Group Llc, was involved in an accident near Gainesville, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 July 2019 at 21:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Gainesville, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Gaineville Municipal Airport (GLE)

Coordinates

33.6600, -97.1945

Aircraft

Piper PA34

Registration

N456AG

Category

Airplane

Year built

1973

Engines

2

Operator

Us Aviation Group Llc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Denton → Gainseville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN19FA238

2 people died.

The pilots’ failure to maintain airspeed while on final approach with asymmetric engine power, which resulted in a loss of control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction were conducting a training flight in the multi-engine airplane, which included several takeoffs and landings. Flight track data indicated that, just before the accident, the airplane was on a 1/2-mile final approach for landing about 250 ft above ground level. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground about 1,500 ft left of the approach end of the runway in a left-wing low attitude. A post-impact fire ensued. Examination of the left engine propeller showed indications of low or no power; the right engine propeller displayed evidence of moderate or higher power at the time of impact. The left engine No. 2 cylinder fuel injector nozzle was plugged with an unknown substance. Fire damage precluded further determination of mechanical factors related to the asymmetric engine power at the time of impact. The accident airplane’s engines had been recently replaced and since replacement, both engines had experienced loss of power events during ground operations. Maintenance actions included adjusting the fuel mixture idle setting and a ground test run, during which the problem could not be duplicated. A witness stated that, immediately before departing on the accident flight, the airplane’s left engine lost power and was restarted. Several flight instructors voiced concerns with the company’s inadequate maintenance practices and stated that there were self-induced pressures to complete training flights. Review of the pilot’s training records indicated difficulty with maintaining airplane control during simulated one engine inoperative flight, and deficient language skills that resulted in a previous event during which another flight instructor experienced difficulty taking control of the airplane from the pilot. Evidence at the accident site was consistent with asymmetric engine power at the time of the accident, but whether there was an actual loss of left engine power or if the approach was being conducted with a simulated loss of left engine power could not be determined. The position of the wreckage left of the runway and the airplane’s impact in a left-wing-low attitude is consistent with a loss of control due to a failure to maintain minimum control airspeed (Vmc) during the landing approach.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.