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20250505005659A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-180 · South Saint Pau, MN · May 5, 2025

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 5, 2025 · 18:00 local
Place
South Saint Pau, MN
Airport
South St Paul Municipal-Richard E F
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N7951W
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN25LA171
Reported as
Piper PA-28-180
Reported engine
Lycoming O&VO-360 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
17,000 total122 in this make and model26 in the last 90 days
N7951WRegistered now · Piper PA-28-180S/N 28-1998 · Built 1964Airframe modelPiper PA-28-180Engine 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.

The PIC met the student pilot at the airport to let the student fly the pic’s Piper cherokee. The student had 6.5 hours total flying time, all in a Cessna 172. The PIC discussed the differences between the cherokee and a C172 and walked the student through a thorough preflight. The two pilots practiced 6 touch and go landings successfully and proceeded with a full stop landing. Upon touchdown left of centerline, the right main landing gear made contact first. The aircraft swerved hard left. The PIC immediately announced: “my controls" and attempted to maintain directional control. The PIC stated that it happened so quickly that he was unable to recover and the aircraft and was off the runway in seconds. In the moment of lost control, the nose landing gear strut and the motor mount bent and the right wingtip and propeller made contact with the runway surface. The PIC stated that after the incident, they discussed what happened and the student pilot stated that he may have had his feet on the brakes upon touchdown.

As the FAA filed it

THE PIC MET THE STUDENT PILOT AT THE AIRPORT TO LET THE STUDENT FLY THE PIC’S PIPER CHEROKEE. THE STUDENT HAD 6.5 HOURS TOTAL FLYING TIME, ALL IN A CESSNA 172. THE PIC DISCUSSED THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE CHEROKEE AND A C172 AND WALKED THE STUDENT THROUGH A THOROUGH PREFLIGHT. THE TWO PILOTS PRACTICED 6 TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS SUCCESSFULLY AND PROCEEDED WITH A FULL STOP LANDING. UPON TOUCHDOWN LEFT OF CENTERLINE, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR MADE CONTACT FIRST. THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED HARD LEFT. THE PIC IMMEDIATELY ANNOUNCED: “MY CONTROLS" AND ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE PIC STATED THAT IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER AND THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS OFF THE RUNWAY IN SECONDS. IN THE MOMENT OF LOST CONTROL, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR STRUT AND THE MOTOR MOUNT BENT AND THE RIGHT WINGTIP AND PROPELLER MADE CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE PIC STATED THAT AFTER THE INCIDENT, THEY DISCUSSED WHAT HAPPENED AND THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE MAY HAVE HAD HIS FEET ON THE BRAKES UPON TOUCHDOWN.

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 CEN25LA171Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportSouth Saint Paul, MNThe student pilot’s inadvertent brake application during the touchdown, that resulted in abnormal runway contact and a loss of directional control. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the student pilot during the…May 5, 2025 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7951W · 2

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

Incident 19990418025689IForced/Precautionary Landing · Waseca, MNN7951W departed runway 33 at acq, lost power soon after liftoff, and made an emergency landing in a field beyond, and slightly to the left of the extended centerline of the runway. The aircraft came to rest in the soft dirt, shearing its nosegear in the…Apr 18, 1999 · Minor damageAccident 19750115002189ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Waseca, MNJan 15, 1975 · Substantial damage