# NTSB ERA12CA407: Piper PA-28-161, N373CA, Lake Wales, FL, June 19, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: June 19, 2012, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place: Lake Wales, FL
- Coordinates: 27.889444, -81.618888 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.8894&lon=-81.6189&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 November 7, 2012
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 84044
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA12CA407
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84044/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84044
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA407

## Probable cause

The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the student pilot’s power management, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's premature power reduction during the landing flare.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [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)
- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)
- [Engine controls: power lever](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057603): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057603/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 95 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057603/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 flight instructor, he was conducting a training flight on short-field landings with the student pilot. During the last short-field landing, as the airplane flew over the runway numbers, the student pilot reduced the engine power to idle, and the airplane dropped and landed hard. According to the student pilot, as the airplane began to descend, he attempted a go-around, but did not advance the throttle quickly enough, and the airplane landed hard on the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the firewall was buckled. The flight instructor and student pilot did not report any malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

According to the certified flight instructor (CFI), he was conducting a training flight with the student pilot on short field landings. During last short field landing, as the airplane flew over the runway numbers, the airplane dropped and landed hard. According to the student pilot, he recalled that the airplane was at 55 knots during short final. As the airplane began to descend, he attempted a go-around, but did not advance the throttle quickly enough and the airplane landed hard on the runway. During the examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, it was revealed that the firewall was buckled. The CFI and student pilot did not report any flight control malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N373CA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N373CA), registered now, S/N 2841014, built 1988 (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 O-320-D3G](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-d3g) (registry code 42156, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 2841014
- Airframe hours: 8762
- Engines: Lycoming 0320D39 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Jules Aircraft Inc
- Registered owner: Jules Aircraft Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, June 12, 2012, 51 hours before
- Departed: ISM, Kissimmee, FL
- Destination: X07, Lakes Wales, FL
- Airport: X07, Lake Wales Municipal Airport, runway 24, 3,999 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 54; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 11, 2011; seat: right; flight hours: 4,400 total, 180 in this make and model
- Student pilot; age 18; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; flight hours: 30 total, 30 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 2,400 ft broken
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observed at: X07

## 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 20120619011339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120619011339A), Jun 19, 2012: Piper PA-28-161, Lake Wales, FL, Substantial damage. Aircraft experienced hard landing. No injuries to either crew; substantial damage to airframe. Aircraft was on third circuit of pattern at X07 runway 6. Crew…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 6, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84044. 4.9 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40373676&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Statement of CFI-Zamora (item 2, .PDF, 184 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40373677&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20CFI-Zamora-Redacted.PDF
- Statement of student pilot-Dulbecco (item 3, .PDF, 138 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40373678&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20student%20pilot-Dulbecco-Redacted.PDF
- Airframe logbook excerpt pages (item 4, .PDF, 377 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40373682&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airframe%20logbook%20excerpt%20pages-Redacted.PDF
- Engine logbook excerpt pages (item 5, .PDF, 181 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40373683&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engine%20logbook%20excerpt%20pages-Redacted.PDF
- Photo 1- FAA photo-view of bent nose wheel (item 6, .PDF, 633 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40373685&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201-%20FAA%20photo-view%20of%20bent%20nose%20wheel-Master.PDF
- Photo 2-FAA photo-View of bent engine mount and buckled firewall (item 7, .PDF, 647 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40373686&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202-FAA%20photo-View%20of%20bent%20engine%20mount%20and%20buckled%20firewall-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.

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