20230610009609A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-181 · Medford, NJ · June 10, 2023

Date: June 10, 2023 · 16:00 local
Place: Medford, NJ
Airport: Flying W Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8126X
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA23LA296
Reported as: Piper PA-28-181
Reported engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,514 total800 in this make and model65 in the last 90 days

N8126XRegistered now · Piper PA-28-181S/N 28-8090154 · Built 1979 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-181 Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

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.

This accident was reported through a hotline complaint on 7/5/23. The investigation begain on 7/6/23 and yielded the following information:

The instructor and student completed the before takeoff checklist then taxied onto the runway to perform a soft field takeoff. As they started their takeoff roll, the aircraft lifted off the runway, drifted to the left, and hit a runway light and a taxiway light. The instructor stated once he realized the student was off the centerline of the runway, he took the controls and realigned the aircraft on the centerline. After the flight instructor corrected the drift, he instructed the student to take the controls and they continued to complete several more takeoffs and landings. The instructor did not realize they hit anything until they landed and his next student found the damage. Damage was found on the right side of the horizontal stabilator tip and leading edge.

As the FAA filed it

THIS ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED THROUGH A HOTLINE COMPLAINT ON 7/5/23. THE INVESTIGATION BEGAIN ON 7/6/23 AND YIELDED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT COMPLETED THE BEFORE TAKEOFF CHECKLIST THEN TAXIED ONTO THE RUNWAY TO PERFORM A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF. AS THEY STARTED THEIR TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY, DRIFTED TO THE LEFT, AND HIT A RUNWAY LIGHT AND A TAXIWAY LIGHT. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED ONCE HE REALIZED THE STUDENT WAS OFF THE CENTERLINE OF THE RUNWAY, HE TOOK THE CONTROLS AND REALIGNED THE AIRCRAFT ON THE CENTERLINE. AFTER THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CORRECTED THE DRIFT, HE INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO TAKE THE CONTROLS AND THEY CONTINUED TO COMPLETE SEVERAL MORE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. THE INSTRUCTOR DID NOT REALIZE THEY HIT ANYTHING UNTIL THEY LANDED AND HIS NEXT STUDENT FOUND THE DAMAGE. DAMAGE WAS FOUND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILATOR TIP AND LEADING EDGE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA23LA296Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportLumberton, NJThe student pilot’s improper flight control inputs and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with the runway edge lights.Jun 10, 2023 · Substantial damage