ERA19LA160

Factual narrative

On March 13, 2019, about 1740 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-200, N33305, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a field near Easton, Maryland. The flight instructor and the private pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight that departed from the Cambridge-Dorchester Regional Airport (CGE), Cambridge, Maryland, about 1720. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 and had an intended destination of Easton/Newnam Field (ESN), Easton, Maryland.According to the flight instructor, the purpose of the flight was to reacquaint the pilot with the airplane and resume his instrument flight training. They departed Lee Airport (ANP), Annapolis, Maryland, about 1630, and flew to CGE and performed two landings. Then, they departed CGE and were cleared for the "ILS Rwy 4" approach with a circle to land clearance for runway 22 at ESN. While descending on the approach, they configured the airplane for landing by reducing engine power, moving the propeller control to the full forward position, setting the mixture to full rich, turning the electric fuel pump on, moving the landing gear selector to the down position, and extending the flaps "one notch." The airplane descended below the glideslope and the flight instructor told the pilot to add engine power, however, while advancing the throttle, the engine did not respond. The flight instructor took the controls and attempted to get the engine to respond without success. The propeller continued to windmill, the pilot switched the fuel tanks, and again, the engine did not restart. The flight instructor looked for a place to land and found a nearby field. They were about 1,000 ft mean sea level, so he extended the flaps, elected to retract the landing gear, and performed a forced landing to the muddy field. The airplane came to rest in the field, the two occupants turned "everything off" and egressed the airplane. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness records, the airplane was manufactured in 1975. The airplane was equipped with a Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 200-horsepower engine. According to the engine maintenance logbook, the most recent annual inspection was completed on March 5, 2019, at 1,567.6 hours since major overhaul. An examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed that a fuselage rib was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. Fuel was noted in both fuel tanks and during recovery was drained using the electric fuel pump, which pumped fuel into exterior containers. No water or contaminates were noted in the fuel. An examination of the fuel selector revealed that it moved smoothly, and it could be clearly felt when the selector was in each respective detent. Examination of the engine revealed that there was no damage to the crankcase. Crankshaft and valvetrain continuity were confirmed. Compression and suction were noted on all cylinders. The magneto timing was checked, the magnetos were sparked, and no anomalies were noted. The airbox was examined and not obstructed. Engine control cable continuity was confirmed from the propeller, mixture, and throttle control cables to their respective connections on the engine. Later, the airplane was secured, fuel was plumbed into to the engine, and the engine was started. It ran smoothly, without hesitation, the engine power was decreased to idle power, and then the engine was shutdown. There were no anomalies noted with the engine. The flight instructor and pilot were on a flight to resume the pilot's instrument training. After performing maneuvers and several touch-and-go landings, the pilots elected to perform a practice instrument approach to the destination airport. While on the approach, they configured the airplane for landing. The flight instructor noted that the airplane was below the glideslope and asked the pilot to increase engine power; however, the engine did not respond to the throttle input. The flight instructor took the controls and attempted to restore engine power without success. The propeller continued to windmill, the pilot switched fuel tanks, and the engine did not restart. The flight instructor performed a forced landing in a nearby field, during which the fuselage was substantially damaged. During recovery from the field, fuel was drained from both fuel tanks, and no water or debris was noted in the fuel. An examination of the engine revealed crankshaft and valvetrain continuity throughout the engine. The propeller was rotated through 360° of motion, and compression and suction were noted on all cylinders. In addition, fuel was plumbed into the engine, and the engine was started and ran smoothly without hesitation. The engine power was decreased to idle power, and then the engine was shut down. There were no mechanical malfunctions or failures noted with the engine that would have precluded normal operation before the accident. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

• C Not determined-Not determined-(general)-(general)-Unknown/Not determined - C