# Accident 20120913028959A: Fairchild PT-19A, Cape Girardeau, MO, September 13, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 13, 2012, 14:00 local time
- Place: Cape Girardeau, MO
- Airport: Cape Girardeau Municipal Airpo
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.2253° N, 89.5708° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.2253&lon=-89.5708&mi=10
- Aircraft: N19GP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N19GP) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Fairchild PT-19A (registry code 3371608, https://openairdocs.org/model/fairchild-pt-19a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Fairchild 6-440 series (registry code 26003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/fairchild-6-440-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: FAIRCHILD PT-19A
- Reported engine: FAIRCHILD 6-440 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 8,000 total, 500 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN12CA656](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12CA656) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120913028959A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

* DESCRIPTION OF EVENT AND COMMENTS WITH RECOMMENDATION *

(1)  DESCRIPTION OF EVENT.

THE PILOT OF N19GP WAS DEMONSTRATING TO A PASSENGER HOW TO DROP A FLOWER BAG ON A TARGET IN COMPETITION.

THE PILOT WAS PILOTING AIRCRAFT N19GP AT A LOW ALTITUDE OVER THE RUNWAY AT CAPE GIRARDEAU MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (CGI) AND HIT THE GROUND WITH THE LEFT WING.  THE AIRCRAFT SPUN AROUND TO THE LEFT AND EXPERIENCED SUBSTANCIAL DAMAGE.

THE PILOT HAD BEEN DISTRACTED BY THE PASSENGER WHO WAS OBSERVING HOW THE PILOT WOULD DROP A FLOWER BAG.  THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED AND STALLED AT APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY.

THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER FROM THE STALL BY APPLYING FULL POWER, WHICH CAUSED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO PITCH UP AND THE AIRCRAFT TO BANK LEFT.

(2)  CAUSAL AND/OR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS NOT ALREADY ADDRESSED IN BLOCKS 13 ? 16, IF ANY.

THE PILOT STATEMENT IDENTIFIED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE AIRPLANE HE SIMPLY WAS DISTRACTED AND ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO SLOW AND STALL AT A LOW ALTITUDE.

* 91.13 (B) CARELESS OR RECKLESS OPERATION.  NO PERSON MAY OPERATE AN AIRCRAFT IN A CARELESS OR RECKLESS MANNER SO AS TO ENDANGER THE LIFE OR PROPERTY OF ANOTHER.

(3)  RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SYSTEMIC CORRECTIVE ACTION TO REDUCE RISK OF FUTURE OCCURRENCE.

THIS WAS A PILOT ERROR, NOT A SYSTEMIC ERROR.

(4)  COMMENTS (IF ANY; IF NONE, STATE ?NONE?).

NONE.

## 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 CEN12CA656](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12CA656), Sep 13, 2012: Fairchild PT-19A (N19GP), Cape Girardeau, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during a low approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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.

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