# NTSB CEN20CA396: Piper PA46, N972DD, Jacksonville, TX, September 16, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 16, 2020, 13:40 local (18:40 UTC) - Place: Jacksonville, TX - Coordinates: 31.86933, -95.217405 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8693&lon=-95.2174&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 101983 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA396 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101983/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101983 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA396 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing approach and the exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack at low altitude resulting in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing was the instructor pilot’s failure to adequately monitor the student pilot’s actions during the approach. ## 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 46-350P, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR go-around: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) ## Analysis The instructor pilot reported that while practicing an engine-out landing in the traffic pattern, the pilot-rated student overshot the turn from base leg to final rolling out to the right of the runway centerline. The student pilot attempted to turn back toward the runway and then saw that the airplane’s airspeed was rapidly decreasing. The instructor reported that when he realized the severity of the situation it was too late to do anything. The student attempted to add power for a go-around but was unable to recover. The airplane stalled about 10 ft above the ground, impacted the ground right of the runway, and skidded onto the runway where it came to rest. Both wings and the forward fuselage were substantially damaged. Both pilots stated there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N972DD](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N972DD), registered now, S/N 4636637, built 2014 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA46 (350P) - Registry model: [Piper PA 46-350P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-350p) (registry code 7104619) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tio-540-ae2a) (registry code 41999, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4636637 - Year built: 2014 - Airframe hours: 629.8 - Engines: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A 350 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: LNH Holdings LLC - Registered owner: Drive Line Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 7, 2020, 11.6 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: JSO, Cherokee County, runway 32, 5,006 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 26; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 26, 2020; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 816 total, 1,141 in this make and model, 619 as pilot in command, 104 in the last 90 days, 27 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 45; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 22, 2020; seat: left; flight hours: 534.7 total, 9.9 in this make and model, 442.5 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 4.6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.99 inHg - Observed at: KJSO ## 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 20200916012369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200916012369A), Sep 16, 2020: Piper Aircraft Inc PA 46-350P, Jacksonville, TX, Substantial damage. The pilot-receiving-instruction stated that they departed runway 32 at jso, making left traffic, with the intention to practice a power-off emergency landing… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 9, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101983. 978 KB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (student pilot) (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 430 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11553870&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN20CA396%20NTSB%206120%20Completed%20Brad%20Thomas%20w%20blocks%20docket_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (flight instructor) (item 2, PDF, 9 pages, 454 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11553995&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN20CA396%20NTSB%206120%20Completed%20Ben%20Casey%20w%20blocks%20docket_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident site photograph (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 94 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11562783&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN20CA396%20Photos%20for%20Docket-Rel.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.