# NTSB CEN20CA137: Piper PA-28-235C, N9468W, Omaha, NE, March 31, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 31, 2020, 18:44 local (23:44 UTC) - Place: Omaha, NE - Coordinates: 41.198612, -96.114723 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1986&lon=-96.1147&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 29, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 101140 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA137 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101140/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101140 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA137 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, subsequent loss of directional control, and the airplane going down an embankment. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 35 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that, during landing following his third solo cross-country flight, the airplane touched down and then bounced. The right wing dropped, and the right main landing gear touched down, followed by the nose landing gear. The airplane turned hard to the left, but the airplane was too close to the runway edge to turn and remain on the runway, so the student applied maximum braking and raised the nose to try to slow the airplane. The airplane went down an embankment at an angle, the left wing struck the ground and separated from the fuselage, and the nose landing gear bent aft, which bent the engine mounts and buckled the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot was returning from his third solo cross country flight. He made a stop-and-go and a touch-and-go landing at another airport, then returned to his home base and landed on runway 12. The wind was from 180° at 6 knots with variable gusts. The airplane touched down and bounced. The right wing dropped and the right main landing gear touched down, followed by the nose landing gear. The airplane turned hard to the left but the airplane was too close to the runway edge to turn and remain on the runway so the pilot applied maximum braking and raised the nose to try and slow the airplane down. The airplane went down an 8 to 10 ft embankment at an angle. At the bottom of the embankment the left wing struck the ground and it separated from the fuselage, and the nose landing gear bent aft which bent the engine mounts and buckled the firewall. There were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9468W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9468W-2020-05-29), registration cancelled 2020-05-29, S/N 28-11193, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-235C - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235) (registry code 7102810) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-11193 - Year built: 1969 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: OLU, Columbus, NE - Destination: MLE, Omaha, NE - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: MLE, Millard, runway 12, 3,801 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Satellite tracking device, ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 31, 2020; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 18 total, 18 in this make and model, 4 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 6 knots, gusting 12 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 28.77 inHg - Observed at: MLE ## 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 20200331003969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200331003969A), Mar 31, 2020: Piper PA-28-235, Millard, NE, Substantial damage. Student pilot was on his third solo flight doing a cross country. Pilot departed from Millard, NE (mle) airport flew to columbus, NE (olu) and back to mle.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 24, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101140. 2.2 MB in all. - NTSB Form 6120.1-2, Pilot-Operator Aircraft Accident Report (item 1, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483028&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120.1-2,%20Pilot-Operator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report-Master.PDF - Report Photographs (item 2, .PDF, 626 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483029&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Report%20Photographs-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.