Piper PA38 N2420F

Summary

On 2 December 2020 at about 12:51 local time, a Piper PA38 registered N2420F, operated by Everglades Aviation Academy LLC, was involved in an accident near Pembroke Pines, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 December 2020 at 12:51

Classification

Accident

Location

Pembroke Pines, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

North Perry (HWO)

Coordinates

26.0036, -80.2351

Aircraft

Piper PA38

Registration

N2420F

Category

Airplane

Year built

1979

Engines

1

Operator

Everglades Aviation Academy LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA21LA059

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The purpose of the instructional flight was to fly the traffic pattern with the student pilot. Prior to the flight, the flight instructor and student pilot performed a preflight inspection with no anomalies noted. After performing several takeoffs and landings in the traffic pattern, the flight instructor switched from the left fuel tank to the right tank. They performed a go-around procedure and, on the upwind leg of the traffic pattern, noticed a strong smell of something “being burnt.” During the turn to the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern, the flight instructor noticed a “lack of engine power.” He assumed control of the airplane from the student pilot, verified that the fuel mixture control was in the full-rich position, and moved the throttle lever with no response from the engine. He then declared an emergency, turned back toward the airport, and unsuccessfully attempted to restart the engine multiple times during the descent. The airplane struck an airport perimeter fence, nosed over, and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, wings and empennage. The fuel tanks were breached, the gascolator was impact separated, and fuel was noted at the accident site. The source of the burning odor could not be determined. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with the fuel tanks, fuel caps, or seals. Examination of the engine revealed water contamination in the fuel system at the gascolator, electric fuel pump, engine-driven fuel pump, and carburetor. It is likely that since the fuel cap seals and tanks did not exhibit any anomalies, the water contamination came from another source, which ultimately resulted in a total loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.