# Incident 20241003016989I: Pipistrel D O O ALPHA TRAINER, Mesa, AZ, October 3, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 3, 2024, 20:55 local time
- Place: Mesa, AZ
- Airport: Falcon Fld
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.4608° N, 111.7283° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at FALCON FLD (FFZ), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4608&lon=-111.7283&mi=10
- Aircraft: N464LP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N464LP) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Pipistrel D O O ALPHA TRAINER (registry code 056391M, https://openairdocs.org/model/pipistrel-d-o-o-alpha-trainer) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912UL series (registry code 55571, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912ul-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPISTREL D O O ALPHA TRAINER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 758 total, 388 in this make and model, 220 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241003016989I

## Narrative

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

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (PIC) WAS AT MARANA REGIONAL AIRPORT (AVQ) PERFORMING A TAKEOFF WITH A STUDENT.  DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE STUDENT’S DOOR OPENED WITH THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.  PIC BELIEVED THE STUDENT MOVED THE YOKE FORWARD SLIGHTLY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE DOOR.  PIC SAID THEY TOOK CONTROL TO PREVENT THE AIRCRAFT FROM DESCENDING ONTO THE RUNWAY AND STRIKING THE PROPELLER.  WHEN THE PIC PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE TO STOP THE DESCENT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD MADE A HARD CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY.  THE PIC DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF.  THE PIC DID NOT NOTICE ANY ABNORMAL VIBRATIONS AND THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING WITH NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS.  AT THAT TIME, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO FALCON FIELD AIRPORT (FFZ).  UPON ARRIVAL AT FFZ, THE PIC WAS MINDFUL OF THE EARLIER HARD CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY EXPERIENCED AT AVQ.  UPON LANDING ON RUNWAY 22L AT FFZ, THE PIC KEPT THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT UP AS LONG AS THEY COULD AND WAS ABLE TO DO THIS UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT WHEN THE NOSE WHEEL CAME DOWN, AND THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE RUNWAY IMMEDIATELY STOPPING THE ENGINE.  UPON EXITING THE AIRCRAFT, THE PIC AND THEIR STUDENT NOTICED THAT THE PLASTIC RIM FOR THE AIRCRAFT’S NOSEWHEEL WAS MISSING.  FURTHER VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE SURROUNDING AREA RESULTED IN THE FINDING OF PIECES OF THE PLASTIC RIM BEHIND THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY AT FFZ.

## Other reports on N464LP (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20250814016999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250814016999A), Aug 14, 2025: Pipistrel D O O ALPHA TRAINER (N464LP), Mesa, AZ, Substantial damage. On a flight from avq to ffz pilot mnade an approach to ffz that resulted in a hard landing causing a gear collapse and prop strike. Pilot was counseled on…

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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