# NTSB CEN14LA050: Piper PA 28-150, N5790W, Concordia, KS, November 9, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 9, 2013, 10:39 local (16:39 UTC) - Place: Concordia, KS - Coordinates: 39.558055, -97.653053 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5581&lon=-97.6531&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 27, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 88418 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA050 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88418/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88418 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA050 ## Probable cause The flight instructor’s improper decision to attempt a climb with an excessive pitch attitude for the tailwind condition and flap setting, which resulted in an approach to stall and subsequent off-field landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-150, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=7102804), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-150, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=7102804), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-150, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7102804), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-150, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7102804), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Stall warn/stick-shaker/pusher](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/430); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-150, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/430/sequence.md?model=7102804), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/430/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-150, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7102804), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor and student pilot reported that they used soft-field procedures for takeoff. After lifting off with a high-pitch attitude, the pilots continued to climb the airplane using a high-pitch attitude to clear a simulated obstacle. With a partial flap setting, tailwind condition, and high-pitch attitude, the airplane struggled to climb and approached a stall. The flight instructor chose to make an off-field landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examinations of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On November 9, 2013, about 1039 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-150 airplane, N5790W, was substantially damaged during an off-field landing near Blosser Municipal Airport (CNK), Concordia, Kansas. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The student and flight instructor stated a takeoff on Runway 17 was performed utilizing 'soft field' procedures. After lifting off, a high pitch attitude was utilized to clear a simulated obstacle. The flight instructor recalled that flaps were set to 10 degrees during the climb, whereas the student recalled that flaps were set to 25 degrees. Both stated the airplane struggled to climb with the high pitch attitude and subsequently observed the airplane approach a stall. The flight instructor performed an off-field landing, which substantially damaged the left wing. The weather observation station at CNK reported the following conditions at 1055: wind 010 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 15 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 1 degree C, altimeter setting 30.18. Based on the recorded temperature and dew point near the time of the accident, the engine was in the range of susceptibility for carburetor icing during glide and cruise power settings. Examination of the airframe and engine by Federal Aviation Administration personnel revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5790W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5790W-2015-05-21), registration cancelled 2015-05-21, S/N 28-1701, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 28-150 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-150) (registry code 7102804) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-1701 - Year built: 1964 - Airframe hours: 4521 - Engines: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Link Gerald L - Registered owner: Link Gerald L - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 29, 2013 - Departed: CNK, Concordia, KS - Destination: CNK, Concordia, KS - Airport: CNK, Blosser Muni, runway 17, 3,601 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 45; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 56 total, 56 in this make and model, 33 as pilot in command, 22 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Flight instructor; age 49; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 11, 2012; seat: right; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 5,226 total, 22 in this make and model, 5,022 as pilot in command, 26 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.17 inHg - Observed at: CNK, 1 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20131109025509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131109025509A), Nov 9, 2013: Piper PA-28-150, Concorda, KS, Substantial damage. Instructor was conducting training with a student pilot in the accident aircraft. The student pilot questioned whether the aircraft was performing normally… ## Other investigations on N5790W (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 FTW77FPJ38](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW77FPJ38), Aug 21, 1977: Piper PA-28 (N5790W), Oklahoma City, OK, substantial damage ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88418. 1.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406263&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Interview-student pilot (item 2, .PDF, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415275&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Interview-student%20pilot-Master.PDF - Carburetor Icing - Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (item 3, .PDF, 111 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415276&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Carburetor%20Icing%20-%20Special%20Airworthiness%20Information%20Bulletin-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.