DEN07LA049

NTSB accident investigation · Beech A36 · Farmington, NM · January 12, 2007

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
January 12, 2007, 12:15 local (19:15 UTC)
Place
Farmington, NM
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N8183EBeech A36
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 26, 2007
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA Flight Standards District Office
FAA report
20070112000279A
Case key
65157

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 pilot-rated dual student's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during the landing approach to avoid a stall. Also causal was the flight instructor's failure to provide adequate supervision. Factors associated with the accident are an inadvertent stall, and wind gusts.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - in flightApproach - vfr pattern - final approach
Airspeed(vs) - not maintainedDual studentCause
Stall - inadvertentDual studentFactor
Weather condition - gustsFactor
Supervision - inadequatePilot in command(cfi)Cause
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - runway

Analysis

The pilot-rated dual student and flight instructor were on final approach to land after a practice instrument approach. The dual student was flying, and, according to statements by the flight instructor and student, he initiated the landing flare too high above the runway and allowed the nose of the airplane to get too high. The instructor told him to lower the nose, and then assisted him in lowering it slightly. As the student continued the approach and reduced engine power, the airspeed deteriorated until the stall warning horn came on. Prior to touchdown, a gust of wind raised the left wing, and the right wing struck the runway. The flight instructor took control and landed the airplane. In the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report submitted by the instructor and the student, the section titled, Recommendation (How could this accident been prevented?), contained, in part, the following statement: "This mishap was primarily a function of the student flaring high…and running out of airspeed, causing a stall. The high flare was compounded by the gusty crosswind conditions and not taking timely, positive action to go around"

Factual narrative

On January 12, 2007, approximately 1215 mountain standard time, a Beech A36, N8183E, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when the right wing struck the ground during landing at Four Corners Regional Airport (FMN), Farmington, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot, flight instructor, and passenger on board the airplane were not injured. The local flight originated from Farmington, New Mexico, approximately 1050 mountain standard time.

The following is based on the operator's accident report, statements the pilot gave to the operator, and FAA telephone notes taken during interviews with the pilots: The pilot had made three practice ILS approaches to runway 25. He then circled to land on runway 23 and elected to use 12 degrees of flaps and an approach speed of 85 knots. As the airplane crossed the runway threshold, about 20 feet above the runway, the pilot thought he was too low and raised the nose. The instructor told him to put the nose down, and then he "gently" pushed the nose down. The pilot then reduced power. When the airplane was about 10 feet above the runway, the pilot pulled nose up again and the stall warning horn sounded. The instructor said a gust of wind lifted the left wing and the right wing struck the runway. The instructor took control and landed the airplane.

Aircraft

Registration
N8183E
Reported as
Beech A36
Category
Airplane
Serial number
E-2612
Airframe hours
10,149
Engine
Continental IO-550-B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Mesa Pilot Development, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · January 1, 2007
Departed
FMN · Farmington, NM
Destination
FMN · Farmington, NM
Airport
FMN · Four Corners Regional, runway 23, 6,500 × 150 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
Pilot
Age
29
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
October 1, 2006
Seat
Right
Flight hours
1,129 total · 665 in this make and model · 1,022 as pilot in command · 259 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Role
Pilot
Age
24
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
December 1, 2006
Seat
Left
Flight hours
161 total · 147 in this make and model · 108 as pilot in command · 58 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
180° at 16 knots, gusting 22
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
5,500 ft broken
Temperature
52 °F, dew point 28 °F
Altimeter
29.75 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.