Piper PA-44 accident near Prospect, Pennsylvania, December 23, 2003
On December 23, 2003 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-44, registered N432PA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prospect, Pennsylvania. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's improper in-flight decision, which included an inappropriate altitude selection for intentional single engine operation. Factors were the inability of the flight instructor to restart the right engine for undetermined reasons, and the early deployment of flaps and/or landing gear that did not allow the airplane to clear trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2003 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Prospect, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44 · all PA-44s on the register
- Registration
- N432PA · no longer on the register · serial 4496058
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and the multi-engine student were conducting single-engine training. Approximately 2,000 - 2,500 feet agl, the flight instructor reduced power on the right engine to a zero-thrust setting. After maneuvering the airplane for 4-5 minutes, the instructor shut down the engine and feathered the propeller. After performing single engine maneuvers for about 5 minutes, the student attempted to restart the right engine "per the published procedure," which included unfeathering the propeller, but was unsuccessful. The instructor then noticed that the airplane had descended to an altitude of 1,300-1,500 feet agl, so he had the student fly the airplane while he attempted to restart the windmilling engine. When the airplane was 500-700 feet agl, the flight instructor took over the controls, and told the student that they were going to land in a field below. The flight instructor set up an approach to the field, and deployed the landing gear and 25-degrees flaps. While on the short-final leg of the approach, the airplane hit the tops of some trees bordering the field, then impacted the ground. A post-accident inspection of the left and right engines revealed no mechanical anomalies. A review of the flight instructor's logbook revealed that he had accumulated 4.8 hours of multi-engine airplane flight instruction experience. The flight school had an altitude of 3,000 feet agl established as their minimum for performing intentional single engine shut-down. According to the Piper PA-44 information manual, intentional one-engine operations should not be performed at an altitude of less than 4,000 feet above the ground.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 900 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 141 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 780 as pilot in command; 620 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 25, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 180 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 120 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 23, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,077.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 21, 2003; 62.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360-A1H6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-360-A1H6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Beaver Aviation Service Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: BVI Beaver Falls PA at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 29 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from BTP, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.