Piper PA34 accident near Groton, Connecticut, August 18, 2020
On August 18, 2020 at about 2:36 am local time, a 1974 Piper PA34, registered N41382, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Groton, Connecticut (Groton-New London Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The reported partial loss of right engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2020 · about 2:36 am local time
- Place
- Groton, Connecticut · Groton-New London Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA34 200, built 1974 · all PA34s on the register
- Registration
- N41382 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7450114
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, the pilot receiving instruction performed several landings at several airports before proceeding to the home base airport where he executed two touch-and go landings and remained in the airport traffic pattern. When abeam the approach end of the landing runway while on the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern with the landing gear extended and 10° of flaps extended, the receiving instruction began to descend while turning onto the base leg of the airport traffic pattern. The flight instructor stated that at time he heard an engine sputter and verified the engine controls were in the proper position. He heard the engine sputter again and "felt the [airplane] jerk" and stated, "my controls." He maintained airspeed and verified the engine controls were full forward, retracted the flaps but decided to leave the landing gear extended due to the altitude and proximity to the airport. He verified the malfunction to be the right engine and felt it was developing some power, but with less output than the left. He briefly pitched nose down, then nose up, and when he noticed a high descent rate, he feathered the right propeller and placed the right mixture control to idle cutoff. He maneuvered for a forced landing on a street but collided with and remained suspended in the roof of a house. Postaccident examination of both engines, their systems, left propeller, and left propeller governor revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. There was no evidence or preimpact failure or malfunction of either fuel supply system. While the flight instructor reported he moved the right propeller control to the feather position near the end of the flight, the right propeller blades were on the start locks and not feathered. Functional testing of the right propeller and operational testing of the right propeller governor revealed no preimpact failure or malfunction. Therefore, there was no mechanical reason why the right propeller blades would not feather if commanded before the engine rpm became too low and engaged the propeller start locks.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, remote
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,545 hours in all; 443 in this make and model; 154 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 1,393 as pilot in command; 1,202 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 4, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10 hours in all
- Last flight review: April 1, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20,641.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 9, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LIO-360-C1E6 (piston); 7,862 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BGR Bangor ME
- Destination: GON Groton CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from GON, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on September 1, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Statement from Accident CFI | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Statement from Pilot Undergoing Instruction | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Statement from FAA Designated Pilot Examiner | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Statement from CFI Who Flew the Accident Airplane | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Record of NTSB Conversation | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Memorandum for Record - Aircraft, Engines, Propeller Governors, and Propellers Examination | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15, and Evidence Control Forms | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.