- 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.
On this page
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.
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.