20140915021699I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-28-161 · Melbourne, FL · September 15, 2014

Date: September 15, 2014 · 16:30 local
Place: Melbourne, FL
Airport: Melbourne International
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
Operator: ECQS
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N53260
Reported as: Piper PA-28-161
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Student pilot was practicing landings on runway 5, with instructor on board. As the aircraft entered the flaring stage, about 5 feet off the ground, the student hit the left rudder, causing the aircraft to suddenly yaw left & touchdown, causing the aircraft to depart the runway, to the left of the runway, into the grass.

The instructor tried to get back on the controls & applied corrective action, but it was to late.

This inspector recommends 44709 re-exam of the flight instructor!

As the FAA filed it

STUDENT PILOT WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 5, WITH INSTRUCTOR ON BOARD. AS THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE FLARING STAGE, ABOUT 5 FEET OFF THE GROUND, THE STUDENT HIT THE LEFT RUDDER, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SUDDENLY YAW LEFT & TOUCHDOWN, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO DEPART THE RUNWAY, TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY, INTO THE GRASS.

THE INSTRUCTOR TRIED TO GET BACK ON THE CONTROLS & APPLIED CORRECTIVE ACTION, BUT IT WAS TO LATE.

THIS INSPECTOR RECOMMENDS 44709 RE-EXAM OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR!