# NTSB DEN00LA047: Beech A36, N8240U, Farmington, NM, February 3, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 3, 2000, 07:45 local (14:45 UTC) - Place: Farmington, NM - Coordinates: 36.749347, -108.180938 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7493&lon=-108.1809&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 29, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 48592 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN00LA047 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/48592/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA047 ## Probable cause The student pilot's excessive remedial action (banking to realign the airplane with the runway). Factors were the student pilot flaring the airplane prematurely and failing to maintain directional control, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - premature, dual student (contributing factor) - directional control - not maintained, dual student (contributing factor) - remedial action - excessive, dual student (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) ## Analysis To prepare the student pilot for his first solo flight, the flight instructor retarded the throttle on downwind to simulate a power failure. The instructor said the student flared the airplane high over the runway and added power to adjust the sink rate and banked left 'to return to the centerline.' The airplane landed hard on the left main gear and bounced. The flight instructor took control, aborted the landing, went around and landed uneventfully. Postaccident inspection revealed wingtip, aileron, and rear spar damage. ## Factual narrative On February 3, 2000, approximately 0745 mountain standard time, a Beech A36, N8240U, registered to and operated by San Juan Pilot Training, Inc., was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during landing at Four Corners Regional Airport, Farmington, New Mexico. There were no injuries to the commercial certificated flight instructor and student pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Farmington at 0730. To prepare the student pilot for his first solo flight, the flight instructor retarded the throttle on downwind to simulate a power failure. The instructor said the student flared the airplane high over the runway and added power to adjust the sink rate and banked left "to return to the centerline." The airplane landed hard on the left main gear and bounced. The flight instructor took control, aborted the landing, went around and landed uneventfully. Postaccident inspection revealed wingtip, aileron, and rear spar damage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8240U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8240U-2005-11-01), registration cancelled 2005-11-01, S/N E-2665, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech A36 - Registry model: [Beech A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (registry code 1151604) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-550 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (registry code 17042, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: E2665 - Airframe hours: 11632 - Engines: Continental IO-550-B 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: San Juan Pilot Training, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, January 30, 2000, 22 hours before - Departed: FMN - Airport: FMN, Four Corners Regional, runway 7, 6,704 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 465 total, 55 in this make and model, 400 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 55 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 6 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 25 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: FMN ## 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 20000203000749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000203000749A), Feb 3, 2000: Beech A36, Farmington, NM, Substantial damage. (-23) On February 3, 2000, at approx. 0745 am MDT, a BE-36, N8240U, was involved in a hard landing during an approved school instructional flight at… ## Other investigations on N8240U (1) 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. - [NTSB DEN04LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN04LA040), Jan 23, 2004: Beech A36 (N8240U), Farmington, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision making and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in fuel starvation/exhaustion and a stall spin. 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.