Pushing Both Throttles Forward Results In 'Less-Than-Desired'
Response... By Half
It's every CFI-ME's worst nightmare -- the simulated engine
failure that turns into the real thing. The best CFI-ME's are not
only prepared for it... but they count on them happening at the
worst possible times... like this time -- the biggest problem
comes, though, when these incidents occur with no way out.
NTSB Identification: WPR10LA210
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, April 20, 2010 in Tooele, UT
Aircraft: PIPER PA-44-180, registration: N331GP
Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may
contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.
On April 20, 2010, about 1905 mountain daylight time, a Piper
PA-44-180, N331GP, experienced a gear collapse during a forced
landing about two miles southeast of Tooele Valley Airport, Tooele,
Utah. The certified flight instructor was not injured, his private
pilot rated student received minor injuries, and the airplane,
which was operated by Leading Edge Aviation, sustained substantial
damage to both its fuselage and its wings. The 14 Code of Federal
Regulation Part 91 instructional flight departed Salt Lake City
International Airport about 65 minutes prior to the accident. No
flight plan had been filed.
According to the flight instructor, after departing the Salt
Lake City area the student executed a simulated engine-out ILS
(instrument landing system) approach to Tooele Valley Airport; with
the right engine at idle during the approach. At the completion of
the approach, a touch-and-go landing was performed, with both
engines being brought up to full power during the takeoff. The
student then stayed in the VFR (visual flight rules) pattern, and
performed a short field landing using both engines. After that
landing, power was added to both engines for a normal takeoff, but
as the airplane got to about 200 to 300 feet above ground level
(agl), over the departure end of the runway, it suddenly lost all
power in the left engine. At that time the flight instructor took
control of the airplane, confirmed that the left engine had lost
all power, and then attempted to feather the left engine. Soon
thereafter it became obvious to the instructor that the airplane
was losing altitude too quickly for him to safely maneuver back
around to the airport, so he picked out an area for a forced
landing and headed toward that location. While he was about 50 feet
in the air he lowered the landing gear, but he left the flaps in
the full up position. Although the touchdown was successful, during
the landing roll the airplane encountered some rough terrain that
resulted in the collapse of the left main landing gear, and the
sideways impact of some low vegetation.
File Photo
The airplane is currently being recovered to a facility where
further inspection of its engines and systems may be performed.