What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 24, 2026, at 1855Z, a civil air patrol (cap) orientation and evaluation flight took place at Quakertown Airport (kukt) involving a privacy data omitted the flight was conducted under 14 CFR part 91 and was intended for flight instruction. Pilot 1 is a commercially licensed pilot with an instrument rating, 338 total flight hours and was serving as the pilot flying (pf) and trainee. Pilot 2 is an airline transport pilot with 3261 total flight hours and was serving as the evaluator / instructor in the right seat.
The weather conditions were favorable for visual flight rules (VFR), with calm winds, visibility greater than 10 miles, and no clouds below 6,000 feet. The altimeter setting was 29.80 inhg at the time of departure. The preflight briefing was completed, and the flight received clearance from flight release officer.
Initially, the flight included a series of maneuvers such as steep turns, slow flight, and simulated engine-out scenarios. These exercises were conducted at an altitude of 3,500 feet and included practice landings. The pf demonstrated responsiveness to the evaluator's feedback during these maneuvers.
Following these exercises, the aircraft returned to Quakertown for pattern work. The pf attempted a landing on runway 11 but executed a missed approach due to being too high. The instructor then demonstrated a stabilized landing on runway 29. After successfully completing a circuit, the aircraft taxied back for additional pattern work.
During the subsequent takeoff from runway 29, the pf was instructed to perform a normal takeoff. However, during the takeoff roll, the aircraft veered left. Despite the instructor's input to correct the heading, the pf overcorrected, causing the aircraft to veer back and forth. As the aircraft approached the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) lights, the instructor intervened to prevent a collision.
The instructor made the decision to "hop" the aircraft over the PAPI lights due to insufficient room to stop safely. The propeller cleared the obstacle, but the right main landing gear struck the PAPI transformer, causing it to shear off. The aircraft then returned to the ground, veered uncontrollably to the right, slid across the runway, and came to rest on a taxiway.
During the slide, the instructor pulled the mixture control to "idle/cutoff" to stop the engine, and both pilots exited the aircraft without injury. A visual inspection revealed that the right main landing gear had separated and the right elevator was damaged. The aircraft was disabled and later towed to a maintenance hangar.
No injuries were reported, and there were no fuel leaks or fire. Both pilots participated in a debriefing to discuss the event and its implications.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 24, 2026, AT 1855Z, A CIVIL AIR PATROL (CAP) ORIENTATION AND EVALUATION FLIGHT TOOK PLACE AT QUAKERTOWN AIRPORT (KUKT) INVOLVING A ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AND WAS INTENDED FOR FLIGHT INSTRUCTION. PILOT 1 IS A COMMERCIALLY LICENSED PILOT WITH AN INSTRUMENT RATING, 338 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS AND WAS SERVING AS THE PILOT FLYING (PF) AND TRAINEE. PILOT 2 IS AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WITH 3261 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS AND WAS SERVING AS THE EVALUATOR / INSTRUCTOR IN THE RIGHT SEAT.
THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR), WITH CALM WINDS, VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 10 MILES, AND NO CLOUDS BELOW 6,000 FEET. THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 29.80 INHG AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE. THE PREFLIGHT BRIEFING WAS COMPLETED, AND THE FLIGHT RECEIVED CLEARANCE FROM FLIGHT RELEASE OFFICER.
INITIALLY, THE FLIGHT INCLUDED A SERIES OF MANEUVERS SUCH AS STEEP TURNS, SLOW FLIGHT, AND SIMULATED ENGINE-OUT SCENARIOS. THESE EXERCISES WERE CONDUCTED AT AN ALTITUDE OF 3,500 FEET AND INCLUDED PRACTICE LANDINGS. THE PF DEMONSTRATED RESPONSIVENESS TO THE EVALUATOR'S FEEDBACK DURING THESE MANEUVERS.
FOLLOWING THESE EXERCISES, THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO QUAKERTOWN FOR PATTERN WORK. THE PF ATTEMPTED A LANDING ON RUNWAY 11 BUT EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH DUE TO BEING TOO HIGH. THE INSTRUCTOR THEN DEMONSTRATED A STABILIZED LANDING ON RUNWAY 29. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING A CIRCUIT, THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED BACK FOR ADDITIONAL PATTERN WORK.
DURING THE SUBSEQUENT TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 29, THE PF WAS INSTRUCTED TO PERFORM A NORMAL TAKEOFF. HOWEVER, DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED LEFT. DESPITE THE INSTRUCTOR'S INPUT TO CORRECT THE HEADING, THE PF OVERCORRECTED, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER BACK AND FORTH. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE PRECISION APPROACH PATH INDICATOR (PAPI) LIGHTS, THE INSTRUCTOR INTERVENED TO PREVENT A COLLISION.
THE INSTRUCTOR MADE THE DECISION TO "HOP" THE AIRCRAFT OVER THE PAPI LIGHTS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT ROOM TO STOP SAFELY. THE PROPELLER CLEARED THE OBSTACLE, BUT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE PAPI TRANSFORMER, CAUSING IT TO SHEAR OFF. THE AIRCRAFT THEN RETURNED TO THE GROUND, VEERED UNCONTROLLABLY TO THE RIGHT, SLID ACROSS THE RUNWAY, AND CAME TO REST ON A TAXIWAY.
DURING THE SLIDE, THE INSTRUCTOR PULLED THE MIXTURE CONTROL TO "IDLE/CUTOFF" TO STOP THE ENGINE, AND BOTH PILOTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY. A VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR HAD SEPARATED AND THE RIGHT ELEVATOR WAS DAMAGED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DISABLED AND LATER TOWED TO A MAINTENANCE HANGAR.
NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED, AND THERE WERE NO FUEL LEAKS OR FIRE. BOTH PILOTS PARTICIPATED IN A DEBRIEFING TO DISCUSS THE EVENT AND ITS IMPLICATIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.