What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 17, 2019, the instructor and private pilot student departed Ogden airport (kogd) RWY17 at about 3:00 pm (2200Z). The aircraft did not climb as expected. While on downwind, the aircraft struck a billboard, then nosed over into the ground.
A review of the aircraft maintenance records showed no discrepancies. The aircraft was a PA-28R-180, with the smaller 180 HP engine.
The aircraft, loaded with full fuel, two pilots, and their flight gear left to conduct a training flight. The flight was the first in a complex aircraft for the student who just started his commercial pilot training.
The aircraft run up checklist prior to departure, calls for setting the mixture for takeoff at 1800 RPM; then at 2000 RPM, cycling the propeller, checking the magnetos, selecting the opposide tank, and turning the fuel pump off then back on to verify they operate correctly.
The magnetos were not set to run on both prior to takeoff, reducing the available power.
The aircraft before take-off checklist calls for verifying the controls are free and correct, fuel pump to be on, flaps set for takeoff, and mixture set for takeoff.
The fuel pump was found to be in the off position, and flaps appear to have been set for 45 degrees for takeoff based on the flap lever position, and witness marks indicating they struck a vertical object at an angle near 45 degrees to the wing when separating from the aircraft.
The flight departed at about 1300 local time (2200Z) with clear skys, 10 miles visibility, and a right forward quartering headwing from 4 to 6 knots, with a density altitude near 4,700 feet.
The after takeoff checklist calls for flaps and gear up.
The flap lever was in the up position, and witness marks on the flaps indicate they were struck by a vertical object while about 45 degrees from the wing. The gear handle was in the up position. The main landing gear was found separated from the wings. The aircraft has a safety feature that automatically loweres the landing gear when below a specified airspeed. The landing gear was more likely in the extended position due to this feature.
The aircraft did not climb as expected. While on downwind, the aircraft struck a billboard next to I-15, then nosed down crashing into the ground destroying the aircraft, and causing severe injuries.
The engine was producing some power as indicated by the tips of both propellers being broken/torn off.
Fuel samples were taken from the fuel truck that refueled the aircraft minutes before this flight. The samples were satisfactory.
Due to the condition of the aircraft, only the horizontal stabilator continuity check was verified forward to the mid cabin.
Both pilots hold current medicals, meet the recent of experience requirements, and have a current flight reviews.
Both pilots are qualified in single engine aircraft. However, only the instructor has experience in complex aircraft, and has the required complex aircraft endorsement. The student's log book shows no complex aircraft experience, and his complex endorsement block in his log book has not been signed. The instructor was the only fully qualified pilot in the aircraft to act as PIC.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 17, 2019, THE INSTRUCTOR AND PRIVATE PILOT STUDENT DEPARTED OGDEN AIRPORT (KOGD) RWY17 AT ABOUT 3:00 PM (2200Z). THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT CLIMB AS EXPECTED. WHILE ON DOWNWIND, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A BILLBOARD, THEN NOSED OVER INTO THE GROUND.
A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS SHOWED NO DISCREPANCIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS A PA-28R-180, WITH THE SMALLER 180 HP ENGINE.
THE AIRCRAFT, LOADED WITH FULL FUEL, TWO PILOTS, AND THEIR FLIGHT GEAR LEFT TO CONDUCT A TRAINING FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT WAS THE FIRST IN A COMPLEX AIRCRAFT FOR THE STUDENT WHO JUST STARTED HIS COMMERCIAL PILOT TRAINING.
THE AIRCRAFT RUN UP CHECKLIST PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, CALLS FOR SETTING THE MIXTURE FOR TAKEOFF AT 1800 RPM; THEN AT 2000 RPM, CYCLING THE PROPELLER, CHECKING THE MAGNETOS, SELECTING THE OPPOSIDE TANK, AND TURNING THE FUEL PUMP OFF THEN BACK ON TO VERIFY THEY OPERATE CORRECTLY.
THE MAGNETOS WERE NOT SET TO RUN ON BOTH PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, REDUCING THE AVAILABLE POWER.
THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE TAKE-OFF CHECKLIST CALLS FOR VERIFYING THE CONTROLS ARE FREE AND CORRECT, FUEL PUMP TO BE ON, FLAPS SET FOR TAKEOFF, AND MIXTURE SET FOR TAKEOFF.
THE FUEL PUMP WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE OFF POSITION, AND FLAPS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN SET FOR 45 DEGREES FOR TAKEOFF BASED ON THE FLAP LEVER POSITION, AND WITNESS MARKS INDICATING THEY STRUCK A VERTICAL OBJECT AT AN ANGLE NEAR 45 DEGREES TO THE WING WHEN SEPARATING FROM THE AIRCRAFT.
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED AT ABOUT 1300 LOCAL TIME (2200Z) WITH CLEAR SKYS, 10 MILES VISIBILITY, AND A RIGHT FORWARD QUARTERING HEADWING FROM 4 TO 6 KNOTS, WITH A DENSITY ALTITUDE NEAR 4,700 FEET.
THE AFTER TAKEOFF CHECKLIST CALLS FOR FLAPS AND GEAR UP.
THE FLAP LEVER WAS IN THE UP POSITION, AND WITNESS MARKS ON THE FLAPS INDICATE THEY WERE STRUCK BY A VERTICAL OBJECT WHILE ABOUT 45 DEGREES FROM THE WING. THE GEAR HANDLE WAS IN THE UP POSITION. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS FOUND SEPARATED FROM THE WINGS. THE AIRCRAFT HAS A SAFETY FEATURE THAT AUTOMATICALLY LOWERES THE LANDING GEAR WHEN BELOW A SPECIFIED AIRSPEED. THE LANDING GEAR WAS MORE LIKELY IN THE EXTENDED POSITION DUE TO THIS FEATURE.
THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT CLIMB AS EXPECTED. WHILE ON DOWNWIND, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A BILLBOARD NEXT TO I-15, THEN NOSED DOWN CRASHING INTO THE GROUND DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT, AND CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES.
THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING SOME POWER AS INDICATED BY THE TIPS OF BOTH PROPELLERS BEING BROKEN/TORN OFF.
FUEL SAMPLES WERE TAKEN FROM THE FUEL TRUCK THAT REFUELED THE AIRCRAFT MINUTES BEFORE THIS FLIGHT. THE SAMPLES WERE SATISFACTORY.
DUE TO THE CONDITION OF THE AIRCRAFT, ONLY THE HORIZONTAL STABILATOR CONTINUITY CHECK WAS VERIFIED FORWARD TO THE MID CABIN.
BOTH PILOTS HOLD CURRENT MEDICALS, MEET THE RECENT OF EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS, AND HAVE A CURRENT FLIGHT REVIEWS.
BOTH PILOTS ARE QUALIFIED IN SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT. HOWEVER, ONLY THE INSTRUCTOR HAS EXPERIENCE IN COMPLEX AIRCRAFT, AND HAS THE REQUIRED COMPLEX AIRCRAFT ENDORSEMENT. THE STUDENT'S LOG BOOK SHOWS NO COMPLEX AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCE, AND HIS COMPLEX ENDORSEMENT BLOCK IN HIS LOG BOOK HAS NOT BEEN SIGNED. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS THE ONLY FULLY QUALIFIED PILOT IN THE AIRCRAFT TO ACT AS PIC.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.