Piper PA-44-180 accident near Osteen, Florida, April 4, 2001
On April 4, 2001 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N3060D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Osteen, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot in command, flight instructor's delayed feathering of the right propeller after engine failure resulting in the airplane being unable to maintain altitude with the remaining engine and damage to the airplane during a forced landing in a field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 2001 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Osteen, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3060D · registry record · serial 44-7995147
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot in command, flight instructor stated the engine runup prior to takeoff was within normal parameters. The dual student performed a normal takeoff. While maneuvering 5 miles southeast of Lake Ashby, the dual student applied climb engine power and initiated a climb. The dual student stated that the right engine loss of power occurred at about 2,000 feet. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and turned back toward the airport. The right engine had a short power recovery and then failed completely. While maintaining VySE, 88 knots, the airplane was descending about 200 feet per minute. At this time it became evident that they could not make it back to the airport and would have to make a landing in a field. He assisted the flight instructor with the "Landing with an inoperative engine" checklist and at this time they feathered the right propeller. The field they picked looked to be flat with grass. After landing they found the braking was not effective on the very wet grass. At the end of the field there was a 12 feet wide and 4 feet deep canal that sloped down. The airplane slid off the embankment and landed hard on the next field. The airplane suffered landing gear damage. Postcrash examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector, showed the right engine magneto was inoperative The internal inspection of the magneto revealed that neither set of breaker points were opening. Examination of the right magneto by Teledyne Continental Motors personnel, under the supervision of an FAA inspector, showed that there were signatures indicating excessive temperature that suggest overheating of the rear bearing as the origin of the magneto malfunction. The Piper Aircraft Corporation, PA-44-180 Pilot Operating Handbook, states in Section 3, Emergency Procedures, Engine Inoperative Procedures, that if altitude permits, a restart may be attempted. If restart fails or if altitude does not permit restart, see Engine Securing Procedure. The Engine Securing Procedure states the propeller from the inoperative engine should be feathered.
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: 984 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 185 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 910 as pilot in command; 737 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 3, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 201 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 131 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 25, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,585 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 3, 2001; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFB Sanford FL at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from SFB, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.