# Accident 19980918025489A: Aerovd L39, Phoenix, AZ, September 18, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 18, 1998, 18:00 local time - Place: Phoenix, AZ - Airport: Williams Gateway Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Sfl Final Approach - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.4400° N, 111.8499° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4400&lon=-111.8499&mi=10 - Aircraft: N44529, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N44529-2018-03-23) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Aero Vodochody L-39 (registry code 05603SJ, https://openairdocs.org/model/aero-vodochody-l-39) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Ivchenko AL-25SERIES (registry code 34702, https://openairdocs.org/engine/ivchenko-al-25series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AEROVD L39 - Reported engine: ZMDB AI25TL - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 7,400 total, 20 in this make and model, 32 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA298) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980918025489A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT LANDED SHORT, STRUCK A LOCALIZER ANTENNA, AND CRASHED.(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1998, AT 1800 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, AN AERO VODOCHODY L-39 (SINGLE ENGINE IMPORTED JET TRAINER), N44529, LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A LOCALIZER ANTENNA AT THE WILLIAMS GATEWAY AIRPORT IN MESA, ARIZONA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE ANTENNA. BOTH PILOTS SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS TERMINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS A PILOT CHECK RIDE WITH A SIMULATED ENGINE OUT ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 30C. THE PILOT LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A LOCALIZER ANTENNA. ONE OF THE PILOTS EJECTED AND THE OTHER STAYED WITH THE AIRCRAFT. (.4) WHILE ATTEMPTING A SIMULATED FLAME OUT (SFO) APPROACH, THE PILOTS INITIATED A GO-AROUND AT 300 FEET AGL. THEY APPLIED FULL THROTTLE BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT SPOOL UP RIGHT AWAY AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ARREST THEIR SINK RATE. ABOUT 10 TO 12 SECONDS LATER THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD 700 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY THEN VEERED OFF TO THE RIGHT. THE SECOND PILOT GOT THE AIRPLANE AIRBORNE AGAIN THEN TOUCHED DOWN IN THE DIRT. AT THAT POINT THE PIC TOOK THE CONTROLS AND ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY, BUT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE LOCALIZER ANTENNA WITH THE RIGHT WING TIP, WHICH HE HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEE FROM THE BACK SEAT. ABOUT 150 YARDS BEFORE THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP, THE SECOND PILOT EJECTED FROM THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT WARNING. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT IN THE DESERT BRUSH. THE AIRCRAFT PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK DIRECTS THE PILOT TO DECIDE WHETHER TO CONTINUE THE LANDING OR EJECT AT A DECISION HEIGHT OF 800 FEET AGL. THE HANDBOOK ALSO INDICATES THAT THE SPOOL-UP TIME FOR THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE IS 9 TO 12 SECONDS. THE PIC STATED THAT HE HAD EXPECTED THE ENGINE TO SPOOL UP IN '4 TO 5 SECONDS.' POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE FLAPS WERE AT THE TAKEOFF POSITION, 25 DEGREES DOWN. THE PIC REPORTED THAT HE THOUGHT THE FLAPS WERE STILL FULL DOWN AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. HE HAD ALSO REPORTED THAT DURING THE DESCENT, IT FELT LIKE 'THE BOTTOM FELL OUT.' BRINGING THE FLAPS UP BEFORE ESTABLISHING A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB CAN CAUSE A SINK RATE OF 500 TO 700 FEET PER MINUTE. THE PIC FURTHER STATED THAT HE HADN'T EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDE NT. (-23) PIC CHECKING OUT OTHER PILOT IN A/C. DURING AN ENGINE OUT APPROACH A/C HIT SHORT OF RUNWAY CAUSING A/C TO BOUNCE BACK INTO THE AIR AND THEN COLLIDED BACK INTO THE GROUND. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX98LA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA298), Sep 19, 1998: Aero Vodochody Aero. Works L-39 (N44529), Mesa, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper flare and his failure to follow the proper procedures for the aircraft and to maintain control of the aircraft. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.