# NTSB BFO88LA072: Piper PA-30-160R, N7866Y, Chantilly, VA, August 4, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 4, 1988, 12:58 local (16:58 UTC)
- Place: Chantilly, VA
- Location: 38.9445° N, 77.4558° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9445&lon=-77.4558&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 2, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 11429
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO88LA072
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11429/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO88LA072

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - altitude - misjudged, dual student (cause)
  - descent - excessive, dual student (cause)
  - level off - delayed, dual student (cause)
  - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, dual student (contributing factor)
  - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
- Main gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown
  - landing gear,main gear - overload

## Analysis

THE INSTR & STU PLT WERE DOING A PRACTICE LANDING ON RWY 27 AT THE FRONT ROYAL AIRPORT WHEN THE ACFT LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED ABOUT 20 FT HIGH. A GO AROUND WAS MADE, HOWEVER, THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. AFTER TWO FLYOVERS OF THE ARPT IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE L MAIN GEAR WAS DAMAGED. THE INSTR DECIDED TO FLY TO DULLES INTL ARPT WHERE A LANDING WAS MADE ON THE TWO EXTENDED LANDING GEAR. THE STU WAS A CERTIFIED COMMERCIAL PLT WHO WAS PRACTICING FOR A FLIGHT CHECK. HE HAD 11 TOTAL FLT HRS IN THIS ACFT AND THIS WAS HIS SIXTH FLIGHT IN IT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7866Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7866Y), registered now, S/N 30-949, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30-160R
- Registry model: [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (registry code 7103002) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 30-949
- Airframe hours: 3342
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-320-B 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Lambert J. Brown
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, October 20, 1987, 35 hours before
- Departed: FRR, FRONT ROYAL, VA
- Destination: IAD
- Airport: IAD, Dulles, runway 12, 10,001 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 8,802 total, 425 in this make and model, 8,356 as pilot in command, 128 in the last 90 days, 34 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: IAD

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 19880804030209I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880804030209I), Aug 4, 1988: Piper PA30, Washington, DC, Minor damage. Hard landing,bounced,made a go around. Tower advised left gear damaged. Proceeded to Dulles intl for gear up landing.

## Other investigations on N7866Y (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MKC77FCA31](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC77FCA31), Sep 22, 1977: Piper PA-30 (N7866Y), Vichy, MO, substantial damage

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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