[JYO] NTSB Preliminary Information for N4171T

 NTSB Identification: NYC06FA029
14 CFR Part 91: General  Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, November 09, 2005 in Leesburg,  VA
Aircraft: Piper PA-28-161, registration: N4171T
Injuries: 2  Fatal. 
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain  errors. 
Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has  been 
completed.
On November 9, 2005, about 0930 eastern standard  time, a Piper PA-28-161, 
N4171T, was substantially damaged when it impacted  trees and terrain near 
Leesburg Executive Airport (JYO), Leesburg, Virginia. The  certificated flight 
instructor and student pilot were fatally injured. Visual  meteorological 
conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local  instructional 
flight, which was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According  to representatives of the flight school that operated the 
airplane, the airplane  was performing "touch and go" landings in the airport 
traffic 
pattern.

An  airport employee was working in the runway 17 run-up area, when he 
observed the  accident airplane make a "normal" landing. The airplane touched 
down 
at the  approach end of runway 17, and continued to roll past the point where 
he  expected to see the airplane turn off the runway. He looked away for a 
moment,  and when he next saw the airplane, it was still on the runway. Shortly 
 
thereafter, it disappeared from view behind a "hump" in the runway, about 300 - 
 400 feet prior to the departure end. He did not see the airplane  again.

Another witness was traveling southbound on a road that roughly  paralleled 
runway 17. He observed the airplane to his right, and "very low." The  airplane 
banked left, and crossed in front of him. The left bank increased until  the 
wings were "straight up and down," then it "just dropped straight towards  the 
ground." When asked, the witness reported that he could not hear the  
airplane because his windows were up and his radio was on.

A third  witness traveling northbound on the road also observed the airplane 
during the  takeoff. She described seeing the airplane initially in a straight 
and level  attitude, then it banked left, and completed a "u-turn." The 
airplane then  pitched nose down, and descended quickly out of view.

Two other witnesses  traveling southbound on the road reported that they saw 
the airplane briefly,  but it pitched nose down and disappeared from view.

A review of  preliminary radar data obtained from the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA)  showed that a radar target, identified as the accident 
airplane, appeared at  0919, near the departure end of runway 17, at an 
altitude of 
400 feet msl. The  airplane climbed to about 1,200 feet, and completed a left 
circuit around the  airport consistent with a traffic pattern. The last radar 
target was observed at  0922, on the final approach path to runway 17, at an 
altitude of 600 feet. No  further radar targets were observed.

The elevation of Leesburg Airport  was 389 feet msl.

The accident occurred during the hours of daylight at  39 degrees, 3.959 
minutes north latitude, 77 degrees, 33.033 minutes west  longitude.

The airplane came to rest in a wooded area, about 1/3 nautical  mile from the 
departure end of runway 17. The bearing from the main wreckage to  the 
departure end of the runway was 340 degrees magnetic. 

Some broken  and cut tree branches were located in the immediate vicinity of 
the main  wreckage, but the surrounding and overhead foliage was largely 
undisturbed. An  imprint in the ground, consistent with the size and shape of 
the 
left wing, was  observed about 10 feet left of the main wreckage.

The propeller was  separated from the propeller flange, and buried in dirt 
directly adjacent to a  tree. The lower portion of the tree was about 2 feet 
tall, and its upper surface  was cut at an approximate 45-degree angle. An 
approximate 3-foot long, and  3-inch diameter, section of the tree, and the top 
of 
the tree, were located  nearby, and also displayed approximate 45-degree angle 
cuts. One cut surface of  the tree section exhibited gray paint transfer 
similar in color to the paint on  the propeller.

One propeller blade was bent back near the blade root. The  opposite blade 
was bent back slightly, and exhibited chordwise scratching and  leading edge 
gouging near the blade tip.

The main wreckage came to rest  about 5 feet behind the propeller, oriented 
on an approximate heading of 260  degrees. The majority of damage the airplane 
sustained was to the engine,  cockpit area, and both wings.

The nose of the airplane and engine were  bent about 80 degrees nose down, 
and the forward portion of fuselage exhibited  signatures consistent with an 
aft 
displacement.

The left and right wings  both exhibited uniform leading edge crushing. The 
outboard 3 feet of the left  wing was crushed at an angle slightly greater than 
the remaining portion of the  wing. Both fuel tanks were impact damaged and 
compromised. The left fuel tank  was absent of fuel, and the right fuel tank 
contained about 1-inch of fuel  spread across the bottom surface of the tank.

The aft portion of fuselage  was impact damaged and bent slightly upward. The 
tail of the airplane was  intact.

Flight control cable continuity was confirmed from all control  surfaces to 
the mid-cabin area. The flaps were in the up position, and the  stabilator trim 
was in the neutral position.

The fuel selector was found  in the right tank position, and was free of 
obstruction. The gascolator  contained trace amounts of fuel, and a small 
amount 
of sediment.

On  November 17, 2005 the engine was examined at an aircraft recovery 
facility in  Clayton, Delaware.

Crankshaft continuity was confirmed from the propeller  flange through the 
rear accessory gears, and to the valvetrain. Compression was  obtained on all 
cylinders using the thumb method. Borescope examination of all  cylinders and 
pistons revealed no anomalies.

The left magneto was intact  and spark was obtained on all towers. The right 
magneto was impact damaged, and  could not be rotated. The top spark plugs 
were removed, and were light gray in  color. 

The carburetor was impact damaged, the float bowl was partially  separated, 
and was absent of fuel.

The flight instructor held a  commercial pilot certificate with ratings for 
airplane single and multiengine  land, and instrument airplane. He also held a 
flight instructor certificate with  ratings for airplane single engine and 
airplane multiengine. His most recent  first class medical certificate was 
issued 
on February 10, 2004, and on that  date he reported 420 total hours of flight 
experience. According to the flight  school where the flight instructor was 
employed, he possessed an estimated 934  total hours of flight experience at 
the time of the accident.

A search of  the FAA airman database revealed no records associated with the 
student pilot. A  review of logbook records revealed that between September 25 
and October 26,  2005, he received 7 hours of flight instruction in a 
helicopter. On November 2,  2005 he began receiving instruction from the 
accident 
flight instructor, in the  accident airplane make and model. He had accumulated 
3.5 total hours of flight  experience since that date.

Examination of fueling and aircraft usage  records for the airplane revealed 
that the airplane was serviced with 13.5  gallons of fuel on the day prior to 
the accident. The airplane was subsequently  flown for 1.4 hours before the 
accident flight.

The weather reported at  Leesburg Airport, at 0920, included calm winds, 
scattered clouds at 2,200 feet,  an overcast ceiling at 10,000 feet, 7 statute 
miles visibility, temperature 54  degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 51 degrees 
Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of  30.07 inches of mercury.

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