ATL04IA132

NTSB incident investigation · Pilatus PC-12-45 · LaGrange, GA · June 30, 2004

Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal report
Date
June 30, 2004, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC)
Place
LaGrange, GA
Injuries
4 uninjured
Damage
No damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N718JPPilatus PC-12-45
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report January 24, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Atlanta FSDO
Case key
59667

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing flare.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Dragged wing,rotor,pod,float or tail/skidLanding - flare/touchdown
Aircraft control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Aileron - improper use ofPilot in commandCause

Analysis

According to the FAA check-airman, a simulated engine failure was given to the pilot by retarding the throttle. When the pilot stated that they could not reach the airport, the FAA check-airman returned the engine RPM to the green power range. The pilot continued the approach, and during the landing flare to touchdown on runway 31, the left wing tip collided with the runway. No flight control or mechanical anomalies were reported by the pilot. Examination of the right wing tip revealed scraping on the wing tip skin.

Factual narrative

On June 30, 2004, at 1615 eastern daylight time, a Pilatus PC-12-45, N718JP, registered to Pezold Air Charters LLC and operated by Total Flight Systems Inc. wing tip collided with runway 31 during a landing at LaGrange-Callaway Airport, LaGrange, Georgia. The Part 135 flight-check was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The commercial rated pilot-in-command (PIC) , the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) check-Airman, and the two passengers were not injured. The flight departed Newnan-Coweta County Airport in Newnan, Georgia, on June 30, 2004 at 1600.

According to the FAA check-airman, a simulated engine failure was given to the PIC by retarding the throttle. When the PIC stated that they could not reach the airport, the FAA check-airman returned the engine RPM to the green power range. The PIC continued the approach, and during the landing flare to touchdown on runway 31, the left wheel touched down firmly on the runway followed by the right wheel. As the airplane went through a series of lateral gyrations, the left wing tip collided with the runway. No flight control or mechanical anomalies were reported by the pilot. Examination of the right wing tip revealed scraping on the wing tip skin.

Aircraft

Registration
N718JP
Reported as
Pilatus PC-12-45
Category
Airplane
Serial number
155
Airframe hours
1,800
Engine
Pratt & Whitney PT6, 1,200 horsepower, turbo prop
Damage
No damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Total Flight Systems INC.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 12, 2003 · 1,400 hours before
Departed
CCO · Newnan-Coweta, GA
Destination
LGC · La Grange, GA
Airport
LGC · Callaway, runway 31, 5,600 × 150 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
49
Injuries
None
Certificates
Airline transport, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
December 12, 2003
Seat
Left
Flight hours
10,000 total · 800 in this make and model · 60 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 70 °F
Altimeter
30.12 inHg
Observed at
LGC