# Accident 20180511005229A: Piper PA-28-161, Merritt Island, FL, May 11, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 11, 2018, 09:10 local time
- Place: Merritt Island, FL
- Airport: Merritt Island
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: E7XS
- Location: 28.3425° N, 80.6889° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.3425&lon=-80.6889&mi=10
- Aircraft: N610FT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N610FT-2019-03-27) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 32 total, 32 in this make and model, 32 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA292](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA292) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180511005229A

## Narrative

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

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS RPTDLY ON HER 4TH SOLO FLT PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS ON RWY 11 WHEN THE ACFT LANDED HARD ON THE LT MAIN LDG GEAR. THE ACFT TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AFTER THE LDG.

THE STUDENT PLT RPTD THAT SHE HAD ENCOUNTERED A 'GUST OF WIND' DURING THE LDG FLARE THAT TILTED THE ACFT TO THE RIGHT.  THE ACFT THEN TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LT MAIN GEAR AS SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT FOR THAT.

THE FLIGHT SCHOOL CHIEF PLT REPTD COI WIND CONDITIONS AT THE TIME AS CALM. THE NEAREST WX STATION ABOUT 8 MILES SE OF COI WAS PATRICK AFB (COF). THE 1156Z KCOF METAR ALSO REPTD THE WINDS AS CALM.

INITIAL INSPECTION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE UPPER TORQUE LINK ASSY ATTACH POINT ON THE LT MLG STRUT HAD FRACTURED AND SEPARATED. FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE ACFT AFTER LT WING REMOVAL REVEALED THAT THE LT WING UPPER MAIN SPAR HAD SUSTAINED DAMAGE WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE FUSELAGE CARRY-THROUGH SPAR AT THE WING ROOT. ONE OF THE FUSELAGE ATTACHMENT BOLTS WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE BENT.

## 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 GAA18CA292](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA292), May 11, 2018: Piper PA28 (N610FT), Merritt Island, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s improper landing flare in tailwind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.

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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