Spruce Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Daytona Beach, Florida 32124
Friday, April 26, 2013 17:42 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After completing an annual inspection of the airplane, the student pilot completed a preflight inspection and notified his flight instructor that he was going to depart. He reported that, while taxiing toward the runway, the engine stalled. He then “shut everything down” and spoke to a mechanic about what had just happened. The mechanic advised him that the fuel selector was in the “OFF” position. The student pilot then moved the fuel selector to the left-tank position. The student pilot then restarted the airplane, taxied onto the runway, and took off. About 300 feet above ground level, the engine “sputtered.” The pilot then leveled off the airplane and the engine restarted, but it lost power again. He then radioed that he was going to make an emergency landing, maintained the best glide speed, and tried to reland on the runway, but he missed the runway due to a “gust of wind” that pushed the airplane right. The pilot then lowered the nose to avoid trees and houses beyond the end of the runway. The airplane touched down right of the runway centerline, skipped once, and then slid to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Data recorded by the airplane’s onboard engine data monitoring system were consistent with a loss of engine power after takeoff, the power returning, and then a second loss of engine power. A postaccident engine test run did not reveal any preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Fuel was found in both fuel tanks. The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were not conducive to the accumulation of carburetor ice.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations did not reveal any preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/26/2013
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1742
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Daytona Beach
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32124
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 290449N
Event Location Longitude 0810247W
Event Location Airport Spruce Creek Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7FL6
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 24
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1747 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID EVB
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.23
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32424
NTSB Notification Source Volusia County 911 Dispatch
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 5 2014 10:23AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N75148
NTSB Number ERA13LA220
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-28-151
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7615259
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 26 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 3984
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name David Astin
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Cape Canaveral
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32920-3477
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name David Astin
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Cape Canaveral
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 32920-3477
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 7FL6
Departure City Daytona Beach
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1741
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TIX
Destination City Titusville
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 5 2014 10:24AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 05
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 176
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --