ERA23LA068

Factual narrative

On November 21, 2022, about 1805 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N7261F, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Manassas, Virginia. The student pilot was seriously injured, and the flight instructor was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. According to the flight instructor, he and the student pilot performed maneuvers near the airport in a practice area before they returned to the airport to practice touch-and-go landings. They performed four touch-and-go landings without any issues. During the fifth touch-and-go landing, after they took off from runway 16L, the student pilot turned the airplane onto a crosswind leg of the traffic pattern about 950 ft above ground level. The flight instructor then heard a loud noise come from the engine, and the engine lost all power. He immediately took over the controls of the airplane and notified air traffic control of the emergency. He turned the airplane back to the airport and initially planned to land on runway 34R. However, he realized he would not make the runway and lined up with the taxiway. He landed the airplane hard in a grassy area short of the taxiway. According to the student pilot, as he began the turn onto the crosswind leg with the engine operating at full power, he heard a loud sound coming from the engine, and the engine then started to “sputter” and subsequently stopped. The flight instructor immediately took control of the airplane and performed a forced landing. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to both wings. Fuel was present in both wing tanks. During examination of the engine by an airframe and powerplant mechanic, powertrain continuity was established through the engine. Compression and suction were observed in all cylinders. The engine oil filter was clean and clear of debris. The electrical system was functioning properly, and the magnetos were timed correctly. The fuel samples did not detect presence of water or contaminants. There were no anomalies noted with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The carburetor icing probability chart from Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin: CE-09-35 Carburetor Icing Prevention, June 30, 2009, showed a probability of icing at glide and cruise power at the temperature and dew point reported at the time of the accident. The student pilot and flight instructor were performing touch-and-go landings, and the airplane was on the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern when the engine lost total power. The flight instructor reported he heard a loud noise come from the engine before the power loss. The student pilot reported that he heard the engine sputter before the power loss. The flight instructor turned back to the airport, but the airplane could not glide to the runway. He landed the airplane hard in a grassy area, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings. An examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical anomalies. Although there was a potential for carburetor icing at glide and cruise engine power settings given the reported temperature and dew point conditions, the engine was reportedly operating at full power when the power loss occurred. Thus, it is unlikely that the loss of engine power was due to carburetor icing. The investigation could not determine the reason for the loss of engine power based on the available evidence. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

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