AUSTIN, TX, USA
N30057
PIPER PA-28-161
THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS RECEIVING DUAL INSTRUCTION TO IMPROVE HIS LANDING TECHNIQUE. HE STATED THAT HE HAD OVERSHOT HIS TURN TO FINAL AND WAS LOW ON THE APPROACH, WHEN HE APPLIED POWER AND NOTICED THE ENGINE HAD FAILED. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THEY WERE APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF TO ONE THIRD MILE FROM THE RUNWAY AND AT APPROXIMATELY 200 TO 300 FEET AGL AT THIS POINT. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND DIVERTED THE GLIDE INTO TREES TO AVOID TEN FOOT TALL POWER LINES ACROSS HIS APPROACH PATH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING IMPACT WITH TREES AND TERRAIN. A TEARDOWN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP ROCKER ARM HAD FAILED AT THE PIVOT POINT. THIS COMPONENT HAD 8,557 HOURS TOTAL TIME AND 1,367 HOURS SINCE ENGINE OVERHAUL.
FAILURE OF THE ROCKER ARM IN THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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