CHI08CA078

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-44-180 · Cahokia, IL · February 8, 2008

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
February 7, 2008, 19:54 local (Feb 8, 2008, 01:54 UTC)
Place
Cahokia, IL
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N554PCPiper PA-44-180
Defining event
Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed · report May 28, 2008
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration - St. Louis FSDO
FAA report
20080207011029A
Case key
67679

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The flight instructor's failure to correct for proper runway alignment during final approach and his failure to maintain aircraft control during his subsequent go-around. Contributing to the accident was the dual-student's failure to properly align with the runway centerline during final approach and the dark night.

Findings · 4

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.

Light condition: darkEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specifiedPiper PA-44-180: 3 casesAll aircraft: 448 casesProbable cause
Action: lack of actionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotPiper PA-44-180: 5 casesAll aircraft: 792 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotPiper PA-44-180: 12 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedPiper PA-44-180: 5 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause

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

After completing several practice instrument approaches at night, the flight crew decided to finish the flight with a simulated single-engine approach and landing. The simulated right engine failure was accomplished using the manufacturer's recommended procedures. The flight crew was cleared for the instrument landing system (ILS) runway 30L approach, circle-to-land on runway 12R. The dual-student flew the instrument approach to the minimum descent altitude and then circled to the south to join the right downwind for runway 12R. The dual-student climbed to traffic pattern altitude while on downwind and extended the landing gear when abeam the touchdown point. When the airplane turned onto final approach, it was slightly above the glide slope, at 90 knots, and left of the extended runway centerline. When the airplane was on 1/4 mile final for the runway, it was on glide slope and fully configured for landing. At this time, the airplane was still left of the extended centerline, approximately aligned with the runway edge lighting. About 20-30 feet above ground level, the dual-student banked the airplane about 10-15 degrees to the right. The flight instructor stated that the student's actions made him uncomfortable, given the proximity to the ground. He assumed control of the airplane and initiated a go-around. The airplane yawed and banked to the left as he advanced the engine throttles and pitched up for the go-around. His corrective flight control inputs were ineffective, and the airplane impacted left-wing low in the grass area off the left side of the runway. No flight control anomalies were noted during a post-accident inspection.

Factual narrative

After completing several practice instrument approaches at night, the flight crew decided to finish the flight with a simulated single-engine approach and landing. The simulated right engine failure was accomplished using the manufacturer's recommended procedures. The flight crew was cleared for the instrument landing system (ILS) runway 30L approach, circle-to-land on runway 12R. The dual-student flew the instrument approach to the minimum descent altitude and then circled to the south to join the right downwind for runway 12R. The dual-student climbed to traffic pattern altitude while on downwind and extended the landing gear when abeam the touchdown point. When the airplane turned onto final approach, it was slightly above the glide slope, at 90 knots, and left of the extended runway centerline. When the airplane was on 1/4 mile final for the runway, it was on glide slope and fully configured for landing. At this time, the airplane was still left of the extended centerline, approximately aligned with the runway edge lighting. About 20-30 feet above ground level, the dual-student banked the airplane about 10-15 degrees to the right. The flight instructor stated that the student's actions made him uncomfortable, given the proximity to the ground. He assumed control of the airplane and initiated a go-around. The airplane yawed and banked to the left as he advanced the engine throttles and pitched up for the go-around. His corrective flight control inputs were ineffective, and the airplane impacted left-wing low in the grass area off the left side of the runway. No flight control anomalies were noted during a post-accident inspection.

Aircraft

Registration
N554PC
Reported as
Piper PA-44-180
Category
Airplane
Serial number
4496073
Airframe hours
2,742
Engines
Lycoming LO-360-A1H6, 180 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming O-360-A1H6, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Saint Louis University, Parks College
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · November 1, 2007
Departed
CPS · Cahokia, IL
Destination
CPS · Cahokia, IL
Airport
CPS · St. Louis Downtown Airport, runway 12R, 6,997 × 100 ft, asphalt

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 · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Flight instructor
Age
25
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
September 1, 2007
Seat
Right
Flight hours
746 total · 97 in this make and model · 693 as pilot in command · 82 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Role
Student pilot
Age
21
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
May 1, 2007
Seat
Left
Flight hours
182 total · 32 in this make and model · 62 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind
140° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
8,500 ft overcast
Temperature
36 °F, dew point 28 °F
Altimeter
29.94 inHg
Observed at
CPS

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.