# NTSB ERA14CA150: Piper PA-28-140, N4335T, Salisbury, NC, March 8, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 8, 2014, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Salisbury, NC - Coordinates: 35.645832, -80.520278 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6458&lon=-80.5203&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Aircraft wake turb encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report July 30, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 88895 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14CA150 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88895/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88895 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA150 ## Probable cause The flight instructor's decision to continue the landing in close proximity to a landing helicopter, resulting in an encounter with rotor vortices, loss of airplane control, and collision with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 43 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Turbulence: wake turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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: Aircraft wake turb encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 44 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 137 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis At the time of the accident, simultaneous operations were being conducted at the airport. Airplanes were in left traffic for landing on runway 20, and military helicopters were in right traffic landing to a midfield helipad on the west (right) side of the runway. According to the flight instructor (CFI) in the accident airplane, the student pilot completed three touch-and-go landings and proceeded around the pattern for a fourth landing. During the landing the airplane approached the runway as a helicopter "suddenly lifted to a hover." Several witness statements and security video revealed that the 2,150-pound airplane followed behind an airplane that landed on the runway, and passed abeam an 18,000-pound Army utility helicopter on final approach to the helipad, before it banked sharply to the right and impacted terrain. Post-accident examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed partial separation of the right wing and substantial damage to the fuselage. The CFI reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to the FAA's Aeronautical Information Manual, section 7-3-7: In a slow hover taxi or stationary hover near the surface, helicopter main rotor(s) generate down wash producing high velocity outwash vortices to a distance approximately three times the diameter of the rotor. When rotor downwash hits the surface, the resulting outwash vortices have behavioral characteristics similar to wing tip vortices produced by fixed wing aircraft. However, the vortex circulation is outward, upward, around, and away from the main rotor(s) in all directions. Pilots of small aircraft should avoid operating within three rotor diameters of any helicopter in a slow hover taxi or stationary hover. In forward flight, departing or landing helicopters produce a pair of strong, high-speed trailing vortices similar to wing tip vortices of larger fixed wing aircraft. Pilots of small aircraft should use caution when operating behind or crossing behind landing and departing helicopters. ## Factual narrative At the time of the accident, simultaneous operations were being conducted at the airport. Airplanes were in left traffic for landing on runway 20, and military helicopters were in right traffic landing to a midfield helipad on the west (right) side of the runway. According to the flight instructor (CFI) in the accident airplane, the student pilot completed three touch-and-go landings and proceeded around the pattern for a fourth landing. During the landing the airplane approached the runway as a helicopter "suddenly lifted to a hover." Several witness statements and security video revealed that the 2,150-pound airplane followed behind an airplane that landed on the runway, and passed abeam an 18,000-pound Army utility helicopter on final approach to the helipad, before it banked sharply to the right and impacted terrain. Post-accident examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed partial separation of the right wing and substantial damage to the fuselage. The CFI reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to the FAA's Aeronautical Information Manual, section 7-3-7: In a slow hover taxi or stationary hover near the surface, helicopter main rotor(s) generate down wash producing high velocity outwash vortices to a distance approximately three times the diameter of the rotor. When rotor downwash hits the surface, the resulting outwash vortices have behavioral characteristics similar to wing tip vortices produced by fixed wing aircraft. However, the vortex circulation is outward, upward, around, and away from the main rotor(s) in all directions. Pilots of small aircraft should avoid operating within three rotor diameters of any helicopter in a slow hover taxi or stationary hover. In forward flight, departing or landing helicopters produce a pair of strong, high-speed trailing vortices similar to wing tip vortices of larger fixed wing aircraft. Pilots of small aircraft should use caution when operating behind or crossing behind landing and departing helicopters. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4335T](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4335T-2018-05-30), registration cancelled 2018-05-30, S/N 28-7225149, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-140 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7225149 - Year built: 1971 - Airframe hours: 7395 - Engines: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Julep Arbor Flying LLC, doing business as Alpha One Air Service, LLC - Registered owner: Julep Arbor Flying LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, October 13, 2013, 68 hours before - Departed: RUQ, Salisbury, NC - Destination: RUQ, Salisbury, NC - Airport: RUQ, Rowan County Airport, runway 20, 5,501 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 46; injuries: none; flight instructor, private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review March 11, 2013; seat: right; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 1,350 total, 145 in this make and model, 1,264 as pilot in command, 167 in the last 90 days, 53 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 32; injuries: serious; student; medical: class 3; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 28 total, 28 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: RUQ ## 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 20140308015669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140308015669A), Mar 8, 2014: Piper PA-28-140, Salisbury, NC, Substantial damage. On 3/8/2014 at 1200 EDT, Piper PA-28, N4335T, registered to julep arbor flying LLC, encountered rotor wake turbulence during the landing round-out while over… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 8, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88895. 4.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414105&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statements (item 2, .PDF, 663 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414106&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum of Record – Weather (item 3, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414107&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20%E2%80%93%20Weather-Master.PDF - Video of Accident at 1:26 (Courtesy of US Army) (item 4, .PDF, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414109&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Video%20of%20Accident%20at%201%3A26%20(Courtesy%20of%20US%20Army)-Master.PDF - Photo 1. Airplane at Rest (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414108&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20Airplane%20at%20Rest%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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.