# NTSB ERA11LA067: Piper PA-28-161, N616FT, Melbourne, FL, February 26, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 26, 2009, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Melbourne, FL - Coordinates: 28.106111, -80.641387 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.1061&lon=-80.6414&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 18, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 77839 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11LA067 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77839/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77839 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA067 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inadequate crosswind landing technique and the certified flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the student pilot, the purpose of the instructional flight was to practice crosswind landings. The flight was to be the student pilot's last flight in preparation for his first solo flight. The certified flight instructor (CFI) who was giving the instruction reported that the airplane was landed hard with a side load. Inspection of the airplane after the flight revealed a crack in the right wing’s rear spar. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane during the flight. ## Factual narrative On February 26, 2009, about 1400 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N616FT, operated by Florida Institute of Technology, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Melbourne International Airport (MLB), Melbourne, Florida. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to the student pilot, the purpose of the instructional flight was to practice crosswind landings utilizing the wing low attitude as described in the training program. The flight was to be the student pilot's last flight in preparation for his first solo flight. The CFI who was giving the instruction reported that the airplane was landed hard with a sideload. Inspection of the airplane after the flight revealed a crack in the right wing's rear spar. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane during the flight. The CFI, age 25, held a commercial pilot certificate and a CFI certificate for airplane single-engine, multiengine, and instrument airplane. Her most recent application for a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) first-class medical certificate was issued on May 22, 2008. According to documentation provided by the flight school on December 2, 2010, she had 1,410 total hours of flight experience, of which 1,356 total hours of flight experience were in airplane single-engine, and 1,068 total hours of flight experience as a flight instructor. The student pilot, age 49, held a student pilot certificate. His most recent FAA third-class medical was issued on November 8, 2008. His flight experience at the time of the accident was 33 total hours of flight time in the same make and model of the accident airplane. The 1353 recorded weather observation at MLB included winds from 100 degrees at 10 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, temperature 29 degrees C, dew point 9 degrees C; altimeter 30.27 inches of mercury. In a review of the surface observations for MLB around the time of the accident the wind direction varied from 070 degrees to 100 degrees and was at 10 knots for all recorded observations. The National Transportation Safety Board was notified of the accident on November 18, 2010. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N616FT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N616FT-2014-08-20), registration cancelled 2014-08-20, S/N 2841239, built 1989 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2841239 - Airframe hours: 13197 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D3G 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: F I T Aviation LLC, doing business as Florida Institue of Technolgy - Registered owner: F I T Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, January 26, 2009, 100 hours before - Departed: MLB, Melbourne, FL - Destination: MLB, Melbourne, FL - Airport: MLB, Melbourne International Airpor, runway 05, 3,001 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 25; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; flight hours: 1,410 total - Student pilot; age 49; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 33 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.27 inHg - Observed at: MLB ## Other investigations on N616FT (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 ATL00LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL00LA002), Oct 23, 1999: Piper PA-28-161 (N616FT), Lake Wales, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The carburetor icing conditions that were present. Factors were the failure of the pilot to follow the emergency procedures checklist, and the objects that included a flag pole, a road sign and a… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 26, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77839. 1.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Operator (item 1, .PDF, 117 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40340923&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20-%20Operator-Redacted.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Student Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40340924&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20-%20Student%20Pilot-Redacted.PDF - Florida Institute of Technology Malfunction Report (item 3, .PDF, 19 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40340922&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Florida%20Institute%20of%20Technology%20Malfunction%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Florida Metar Observations (item 4, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40340932&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Florida%20Metar%20Observations-Master.PDF 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.