- Date
- April 26, 2020, 08:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1598APiper PA 20
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200426010489A
- Case key
- 101211
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The flight instructor's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and his subsequent loss of directional control.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flight instructor reported that, while demonstrating a three-point, full-stall landing with a 4-knot right-quartering crosswind, the airplane bounced slightly but that it "seemed minor and controllable." The airplane touched down again, and he pulled the yoke further aft, which resulted in another small bounce. Once the airplane was on the runway, he pulled the yoke full aft, and the airplane immediately veered right off the runway. The instructor attempted to correct by applying full left rudder to no avail. The left wingtip and nose struck the ground, and the airplane came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and aileron. A Federal Aviation Administer inspector and the pilot examined the airplane and found no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he attempted a three-point, full stall landing, with a right-quartering crosswind of about 4 knots. During the touchdown there was a small bounce which the flight instructor described as minor and controllable. The airplane touched down again, and he applied further aft yoke which resulted in another small bounce and final touchdown. Once the airplane was on the runway, he applied full aft yoke, and the airplane immediately veered to the right and exited the runway. The flight instructor attempted to correct with full left rudder, but the airplane exited the right side of the runway and contacted terrain with the left wingtip and nose. The airplane came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left aileron. Examination of the airplane revealed no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1598A
- Reported as
- Piper PA 20 (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20-836
- Built
- 1952
- Airframe hours
- 2,381.4
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 6, 2019
- Departed
- FLY · Colorado Springs, CO
- Destination
- FLY · Colorado Springs, CO
- Airport
- FLY · Meadow Lake, runway 15, 6,000 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 22, 2019
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 3,658 total · 0.5 in this make and model · 3,297 as pilot in command · 109 in the last 90 days · 0.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- FLY
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 28, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.