- Date
- July 11, 2009, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Rutherford, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8658WPiper PA-28-235
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090711010439A
- Case key
- 74249
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 pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while performing a go-around which resulted in a stall.
Findings · 2
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
A certified flight instructor and his student flew a short cross country flight. At the destination airport, the pilots practiced five landings, and then the flight instructor exited the aircraft so the student could practice touch-and-go landings. On the third touch and go, the student pilot was too far left of the runway and initiated a go around, during which the airplane "stalled." During the subsequent uncontrolled descent, the airplane clipped trees and impacted a ravine upside down, breaking off the right wing. The pilots stated that there was a 5 knot wind from the right but thought it was not a factor. They also stated there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane prior to the accident. Both pilots were contacted numerous times and neither submitted a National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 as required.
Factual narrative
A certified flight instructor and his student flew a short cross country flight. At the destination airport, the pilots practiced five landings, and then the flight instructor exited the aircraft so the student could practice touch and go's. On the third touch and go, the student pilot was too far left of the runway and initiated a go around, during which the airplane "stalled." During the subsequent uncontrolled descent, the airplane clipped trees and impacted a ravine upside down, breaking off the right wing. The pilots stated that there was a 5 knot wind from the right but thought it was not a factor. They also stated there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane prior to the accident. Both pilots were contacted numerous times and neither submitted a National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 as required.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8658W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-10183
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540 SERIES, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FQD · Rutherford, NC
- Destination
- FQD · Rutherford, NC
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- FQD · Rutherford County Airport, runway 19, 5,000 × 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 42
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 31 total · 11 in this make and model · 13 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- FQD
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 18, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8658W · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.