Piper PA-23-160 accident near Titusville, FL
On May 19, 2000, a Piper PA-23-160 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Titusville, FL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 19, 2000
- Place
- Titusville, FL
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 28.580°N, 80.820°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X21056
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 19, 2000, about 0912 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23-160, N3492P, registered to Merkado Holdings, Inc., dba Walkwitz Aviation, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 checkout flight, crashed in the vicinity of the Space Coast Regional Airport, (TIX), Titusville, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed, the commercially rated pilot received fatal injuries, and the certified flight instructor received serious injuries. The flight originated from Titusville's Arthur Dunn Airpark about 0730. According to the CFI, in a statement given to two FAA inspectors at about 1630 on the day of the accident in the emergency room of Orlando Regional Medical Center, Orlando, Florida, he was giving dual check-out in MEL single engine failure procedures and simulated failed engine landings at the TIX airport. Once he was satisfied with the pilot's identification and response to a simulated failed engine, he set the right engine power controls to a zero thrust setting for engine-out approaches and landings. The pilot felt his first single engine approach was too high and too fast and a two engine go-around was conducted. During the downwind turn for the second approach, after the CFI zero-thrusted the right engine, the pilot allowed the airplane to decelerate below single engine minimum control speed, (Vmc) at which time the CFI took control and affected a recovery. A second control transfer from CFI back to the pilot resulted in a similar deceleration below Vmc and a right roll and dive that resulte
Probable cause
The failure of the PIC to maintain control of the aircraft while in the simulated engine inoperative configuration in the landing pattern during a checkout flight resulting in an uncontrolled descent and collision with trees. A factor in the accident is the inadequate monitoring of aircraft control by the checkout pilot.
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Browse: Florida · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
