- Date
- May 9, 2013, 16:50 local (20:50 UTC)
- Place
- Jacksonville, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4518FPiper PA-28-140
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 29, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130509008389A
- Case key
- 86856
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 failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the go-around attempt, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and collision with the ground.
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
According to the solo student pilot, he returned to the traffic pattern following some airwork, and was practicing landings to a full stop. On final approach to runway 5, the airplane drifted to the left side of the runway. The left main landing gear touched down first, and the airplane pivoted to the left. The student attempted a full power go-around, and as he pulled back on the yoke during takeoff, the left wing stalled, and the nose gear struck the ground. The airplane spun around 180 degrees before coming to a stop, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and empennage. He reported that the wind was calm just before the landing. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the solo student pilot, he returned to the traffic pattern following airwork, and was practicing landings to a full stop. On approach to runway 5, the airplane began to drift to the left side of the runway. The left main landing gear touched down first, and the airplane pivoted to the left. A full power go-around was attempted. As the student pilot pulled back on the yoke during takeoff, the left wing stalled and the nose gear struck the ground. The airplane spun around 180 degrees before coming to a stop, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and empennage. He reported that the wind was calm just prior to the landing. The student pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4518F
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7725019
- Airframe hours
- 3,958
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 140 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Pittman Daniel W
- Registered owner
- Pittman Daniel W
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2012 · 28 hours before
- Departed
- OAJ · Jacksonville, NC
- Destination
- OAJ · Jacksonville, NC
- Airport
- OAJ · Albert J Ellis Airport, runway 05, 7,100 × 150 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
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 23 total · 23 in this make and model · 5 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- OAJ
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 4, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 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.