Piper Cherokee Crashes into Power Lines

On December 18, 2020, at 1322 EST, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, N6978W, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident during an instructional flight near Tampa, Florida. The flight instructor, student pilot, and passenger (the airplane owner) were seriously injured.

The airplane departed Tampa International Airport (TPA) about 0900 for Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (ZPH). Before departing ZPH to return to TPA, the airplane was fully fueled. The airplane departed ZPH about 1307 with the student pilot in the left seat at the controls. The flight instructor stated that the engine was running smoothly during the flight to TPA.

The passenger, who was seated in the back seat and videotaping the approach, noted that the student pilot adjusted his seat during final approach. Moments later, the flight instructor noticed the airplane's descent path starting to get low, and advised the student pilot to add power. The student pilot attempted to add power, but the engine did not respond. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane, established best glide speed, and attempted to restore engine power. The flight instructor noted a momentary increase of 200 rpm when he cycled the throttle, but he was unable to restore engine power with the engine "basically at idle."

The flight instructor contacted air traffic control and declared an emergency, and attempted a forced landing on a small road, maneuvering the airplane to avoid buildings, trees, and power lines, however the airplane struck a utility pole and power lines in a parking lot about 0.6 nm from the runway threshold. The airplane caught fire upon impact with the power lines, spun counterclockwise, and fell to the ground, coming to rest upright next to the parking lot. The passenger (in the rear seat) noticed that the fuel pressure showed zero just before the airplane impacted the power lines. The fuel selector was located in the wreckage and was found fully in the OFF position. The flight instructor stated that he did not direct or teach the student pilot to move the fuel selector to the off position during the approach for a forced landing and did not observe him doing so. The student pilot stated that he had no recollection of moving the fuel selector and that he would have taken action if he had he noticed that the fuel selector had been inadvertently moved.

Examination of the student pilot's logbook revealed that he had accrued 2 hours of flight time in the accident airplane before the accident flight.

The accident airplane's fuel selector valve was the original model design, which had four selectable positions in an "X" pattern. The fuel selector valve was mounted on the airplane's left sidewall near where the pilot's left leg would be positioned. The lower two detents of the "X" pattern were both OFF positions, and the forward and aft upper detents selected the right and left tanks, respectively. The valve and bezel design on the accident airplane allowed the valve to be rotated without stops or safety measures to any of the available positions, including off.

The design of the fuel selector bezel and handle was subsequently modified twice by the manufacturer. The second-generation design was a three-position design with off, left, and right selections. Rotating the handle fully counterclockwise to the 9:00 position selected the "OFF" position, and rotation clockwise to the 3:00 position selected the right tank, and the intermediate 12:00 position selected the left tank. The third-generation fuel selector added a spring-loaded stop that prevented a pilot from inadvertently selecting the "OFF" position. To select that position, the pilot must simultaneously depress the spring-loaded stop and rotate the lever.

Examination of the accident airplane's logbook revealed that the fuel selector was replaced during the airplane's last annual inspection on 9/15/20. The entry read, "Removed and replaced fuel selector with new," but included no reference to Service Bulletin (SB) 840A, "Fuel Selector Valve Cover Replacement," dated 11/7/13. The airplane manufacturer considered compliance with this SB to be mandatory because the fuel selector valve cover assembly would reduce "the possibility of pilot mismanagement of the fuel system through inadvertent selection to the OFF position, resulting in power interruption or stoppage."

In 1971, the FAA issued an AD that required operators of airplanes equipped with second-generation fuel selector covers and handles to upgrade the cover assembly, but did not require upgrades in airplanes with first-generation equipment.

On July 10, 2014, the FAA issued an SAIB that recommended 'the installation of a fuel selector valve cover designed to prevent inadvertently selecting the off position and the maintenance of fuel selector valves to prevent their binding.' According to the FAA, SAIBs are for information only. They are not mandatory.

~~~

00:00 Accident video
00:57 Photos
01:09 Investigative records

Видео Piper Cherokee Crashes into Power Lines канала What You Haven't Seen