- Date
- February 24, 2010, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Patillas, PR
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5212LPiper PA-28-180
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 17, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100224028819A
- Case key
- 75414
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 student pilot’s decision to abort the takeoff with insufficient runway remaining.
Findings · 1
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
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) stated that the student pilot was performing the takeoff. Upon reaching 65 knots, the student pilot panicked for no apparent reason and pulled the throttle back to abort the takeoff. The CFI knew that there was not enough runway remaining to safely stop, and took control of the airplane to continue the takeoff. The airplane was able to clear trees at the departure end of the runway, but the CFI stated that he was too low to gain airspeed or a positive rate of climb. The CFI elected to land in a river to avoid trees and rising terrain immediately ahead, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.
Factual narrative
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) stated that the student pilot was performing the takeoff. Upon reaching 65 knots, the student pilot panicked for no apparent reason and pulled the throttle back to abort the takeoff. The CFI knew that there was not enough runway remaining to safely stop, and took control of the airplane to continue the takeoff. The airplane was able to clear trees at the departure end of the runway, but the CFI stated that he was too low to gain airspeed or a positive rate of climb. The CFI elected to land in a river to avoid trees and rising terrain immediately ahead, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5212L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-4504
- Airframe hours
- 3,494
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 31, 2009
- Departed
- X64 · Patillas, PR
- Destination
- X64 · Patillas, PR
- Airport
- X64 · Patillas Airport, runway 10, 2,000 × 50 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 30 total · 30 in this make and model
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 19, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 22,000 total · 50 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- TJSJ, 27 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 12, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 354 KB 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.