- Date
- April 21, 2014, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Sanford, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N497DACirrus Design SR20
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 5, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- FAA report
- 20140421005869A
- Case key
- 89091
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 directional control during the aborted landing. Contributing to the accident was his failure to compensate for torque, P-factor, and the reported crosswind conditions.
Findings · 4
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
During the supervised solo flight, the student pilot had completed three previous circuits in the traffic pattern, with two of the three landing attempts aborted. On the fourth landing attempt, a 70-degree right crosswind "blew" the airplane off the left side of the runway. The student pilot then applied full engine power to conduct a go-around, and the airplane "veered left and banked 45 degrees to the left." The student pilot stated that the airplane continued left "no matter how hard I pushed the control stick to the right." The student pilot also reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have prevented normal operation. According to FAA Advisory Circular AC-61-23C, Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge: "The effect of torque increases in direct proportion to engine power, airspeed, and airplane attitude. If the power setting is high, the airspeed slow, and the angle of attack high, the effect of torque is greater. During takeoffs and climbs, when the effect of torque is most pronounced, the pilot must apply sufficient right rudder pressure to counteract the left-turning tendency and maintain a straight takeoff path."
Factual narrative
During the supervised solo flight, the student pilot had completed three previous circuits in the traffic pattern, with two of the three landing attempts aborted. On the fourth landing attempt, a 70-degree right crosswind "blew" the airplane off the left side of the runway. The student pilot then applied full engine power to conduct a go-around, and the airplane "veered left and banked 45 degrees to the left." The student pilot stated that the airplane continued left "no matter how hard I pushed the control stick to the right." The student pilot also reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have prevented normal operation. According to FAA Advisory Circular AC-61-23C, Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge: "The effect of torque increases in direct proportion to engine power, airspeed, and airplane attitude. If the power setting is high, the airspeed slow, and the angle of attack high, the effect of torque is greater. During takeoffs and climbs, when the effect of torque is most pronounced, the pilot must apply sufficient right rudder pressure to counteract the left-turning tendency and maintain a straight takeoff path."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N497DA
- Reported as
- Cirrus Design SR20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1843
- Built
- 2007
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO-360-ES, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Boston Aviation Leasing II LLC
- Registered owner
- Boston Aviation Leasing II LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 6, 2014 · 4,871 hours before
- Departed
- SFB · Sanford, FL
- Destination
- SFB · Sanford, FL
- Airport
- SFB · Orlando Sanford Intl, runway 27L, 6,647 × 75 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
- 25
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 39 total · 39 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 39 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,100 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- SFB
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 29, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N497DA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.