# NTSB ERA12CA242: Piper PA-28R-200, N15764, New Smyrna, FL, March 18, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 18, 2012, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: New Smyrna, FL - Coordinates: 28.978889, -80.925003 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.9789&lon=-80.9250&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 December 11, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA / FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 83184 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA12CA242 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83184/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83184 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA242 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-200, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102811), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-200, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=7102811), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-200, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=7102811), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/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-28R-200, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7102811), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis During a flight to prepare for his initial flight instructor check ride, the commercial pilot performed a 180-degree power-off approach and landing. During the landing, he flared the airplane about 10 feet above the runway. The airplane dropped and landed hard. After taking off again, the pilot attempted to raise the landing gear, but it would not retract completely, so he put the landing gear back down, performed another 180-degree power-off approach, landed, and then taxied to the ramp. After parking, he and the flight instructor who was sitting in the left seat noticed that they could not open the door to exit the airplane because the door handle was broken. After having someone open the door from the outside so that they could exit the airplane, they noticed that the airplane's right wing had been damaged during the hard landing. Postaccident examination revealed that the wing was substantially damaged. During a postaccident interview with the flight instructor, he stated that, during the flight, the commercial pilot was the "full manipulator of the controls" and that "I did not do anything." ## Factual narrative During a flight to prepare for his initial flight instructor check ride, the commercial pilot performed a 180 degree power-off approach and landing. During the landing, he flared the airplane about 10 feet above the runway. The airplane dropped and landed hard. After taking off again, he attempted to raise the landing gear but it would not retract completely, so he put the landing gear back down, performed the maneuver one more time, and then taxied to the ramp. After parking, he and the flight instructor who was sitting in the left seat noticed that they could not open the door to exit the airplane as the door handle was broken. After having someone open the door from the outside so they could exit the airplane, they noticed that the airplane's right wing had been damaged during the hard landing. Post accident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the wing was substantially damaged. During a post accident interview with the flight instructor, he stated that during the flight the commercial pilot was the "full manipulator of the controls" and that "I did not do anything". ## Aircraft - Registration: [N15764](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N15764), registered now, S/N 28R-7335089, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28R-200 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (registry code 7102811) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28R-7335089 - Airframe hours: 7837 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-C1C 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Flight Training Express - Registered owner: Leyva Jose Luis - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 19, 2011 - Departed: X50, New Smyrna, FL - Destination: X50, New Smyrna, FL - Airport: X50, Massey Ranch Airpark, runway 18, 3,852 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 65; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 6, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 31,800 total, 1,000 in this make and model - Pilot; age 23; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 5, 2011; seat: right; flight hours: 310 total, 10 in this make and model, 210 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 16 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: EVB, 5 nm away ## 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 20120318004019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120318004019A), Mar 18, 2012: Piper PA-28R-200, Edgewater, FL, Substantial damage. Power off 180 degree accuracy landing performed, hard landing occured, skin wrinkling on r/h wing, landing gear damaged, flap damage. ## Other investigations on N15764 (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 CHI78FET08](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI78FET08), Jan 21, 1978: Piper PA-28 (N15764), South Bend, IN, substantial damage ## Docket (10 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 16, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83184. 11.9 MB in all. - Flight School's NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 462 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40366868&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20School%27s%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Commercial Pilot's NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 647 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40366878&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Commercial%20Pilot%27s%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statements and Interview Summaries (item 3, .PDF, 358 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40366858&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements%20and%20Interview%20Summaries-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (KEVP METARs) (item 4, .PDF, 89 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40366853&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records%20(KEVP%20METARs)-Master.PDF - Photograph of Right Wing Damage (Side View) (item 5, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40366883&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20of%20Right%20Wing%20Damage%20(Side%20View)-Master.PDF - Photograph of Right Wing Damage (Front View) (item 6, .PDF, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40366885&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20of%20Right%20Wing%20Damage%20(Front%20View)-Master.PDF - Photograph of Right Wing Damage (Rear View) (item 7, .PDF, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40366886&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20of%20Right%20Wing%20Damage%20(Rear%20View)-Master.PDF - Photograph of Right Main Landing Gear Wheel Well (item 8, .PDF, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40366888&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20of%20Right%20Main%20Landing%20Gear%20Wheel%20Well-Master.PDF - Close-Up Photograph of Right Main Landing Gear Wheel Well (item 9, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40366889&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Close-Up%20Photograph%20of%20Right%20Main%20Landing%20Gear%20Wheel%20Well-Master.PDF - Photograph of Right Wing Damage (Bottom View) (item 10, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40366890&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20of%20Right%20Wing%20Damage%20(Bottom%20View)-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.