Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Luray Caverns Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Luray, Virginia 22835
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 15:05 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The commercial-rated pilot receiving instruction and the certificated flight instructor (CFI) flew a 50-nautical mile flight to an outlying airport, then boarded the airplane for the return flight. The pilot observed normal indications on the engine instruments throughout the taxi and engine run-up. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane seemed "sluggish," the airspeed began to drop, and the airplane experienced a partial, then total, loss of engine power. During the subsequent forced landing, the airplane clipped a telephone pole prior to impacting a clearing. The CFI stated that he observed no abnormal indications at any time prior to the initial loss of engine power during takeoff. During an engine test run subsequent to the accident, while operating at moderate power, the fuel flow gauge began fluctuating before the engine suddenly lost power. The engine was re-started and again lost power after about 2 minutes. The engine-driven fuel pump was removed and disassembled with no anomalies noted. The fuel line connecting the fuel pump to the fuel servo was removed and examined, and no evidence of blockage or degradation was observed. A visual inspection, flow test, and teardown inspection of the fuel servo and flow divider at the manufacturer's facility revealed no anomalies.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power during initial climb for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/26/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1505 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Luray |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 22835 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 384001N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0783002W |
| Event Location Airport | Luray Caverns Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | W45 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 902 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1501 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 150 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CJR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 902 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 19 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 230 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27640 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 26 2010 1:23PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N186CF |
| NTSB Number | ERA09LA494 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28R-201 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2844038 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2750 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | -- |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 21 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 6095 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TURK AVIATION LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 904 WOODLAKE CT |
| Aircraft Owner City | O FALLON |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 62269-3114 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Aviation Adventures |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1001 Sycolin Rd. SE |
| Operator City | Leesburg |
| Operator State | VA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 20175 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | W45 |
| Departure City | Luray |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1503 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | JYO |
| Destination City | Leesburg |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 24 2010 8:09AM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 04 |
| Runway Length | 3125 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |