# NTSB ERA16LA236: Piper PA34, N44311, Winnsboro, SC, June 29, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 29, 2016, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Winnsboro, SC - Coordinates: 34.316665, -81.108055 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3167&lon=-81.1081&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 20, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 93504 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA16LA236 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93504/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93504 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA236 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during a go-around, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the airplane's nose-up trim setting, which further increased its angle of attack upon application of engine power during the go-around. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/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: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor and commercial pilot were conducting a currency flight in the multi-engine airplane. After completing an instrument approach, they transitioned to a visual approach and prepared to land. The pilot flared the airplane too high, and the instructor advised the pilot to lower the nose and add power, which he did. The pilot again flared too high, and the instructor was concerned that the airplane was going to stall. The instructor started to reach for the controls when the pilot initiated a go-around. The instructor said the pilot simultaneously pushed both throttles forward and that the airplane suddenly rolled to the right at a height between 2 and 4 ft above the ground. The instructor did not take control of the airplane at any time. The airplane's right wing and main landing gear struck the ground, and the airplane veered off the right side of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation. The horizontal stabilator trim actuator was positioned toward the full nose-up position, which most likely resulted in the nose of the airplane pitching up farther than expected when the pilot added power, which increased the airplane's angle of attack and exacerbated its already critically slow airspeed, resulting in an aerodynamic stall. ## Factual narrative **This report was modified on March 25, 2020. Please see the public docket for this accident to view the original report.** On June 29, 2016, about 1230 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200, N44311, sustained substantial damage during an aborted landing at the Fairfield County Airport (FDW), Winnsboro, South Carolina. The flight instructor and the commercial pilot were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private company. No flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at FDW about 1020. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight instructor stated that the accident flight was the first time he had flown with the commercial pilot and the purpose of the flight was to get him recurrent. The flight instructor said they had flown for about 2 hours before they returned to FDW and executed the RNAV approach to runway 22. When the airplane reached the decision altitude for the approach, they transitioned to a visual approach and prepared to land. The landing gear was already down and the flaps were extended to 25 degrees. The commercial pilot was at the controls and flared the airplane over the runway numbers, but was too high. He advised the commercial pilot to lower the nose and add power, which he did. The commercial pilot again flared too high and the flight instructor was concerned that the airplane was going to stall and started to reach for the controls when the commercial pilot initiated a go-around. The flight instructor said the commercial pilot simultaneously pushed both throttles forward and the airplane suddenly rolled to the right while at a height about 2- to 4 ft above the ground. The flight instructor, who never took the controls at any time, said it felt like the left engine was producing more power than the right engine. The airplane's right wing and main landing gear struck the ground. The airplane then veered off the right side of the runway, and spun about 180-degrees before coming to a stop upright. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed the right wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. The landing gear, both engines, and their respective propellers were also damaged. Both engines and the airplane's fuel system were examined and no pre-impact mechanical deficiencies were noted that would have precluded normal operation at the time of the accident. Examination of the horizontal stabilator trim revealed it was positioned toward the full nose-up position. The flight instructor held a flight instructor certificate for airplane single and multiengine land, and instrument airplane. He also held an airline transport pilot rating for single-engine airplane. His last FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on March 7, 2016. He reported a total of 6,482 hours of flight experience. Of those hours, 780 were inmultiengine airplanes, of which, 500 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The commercial pilot held a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single and multiengine land, and instrument airplane. His last FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on June 21, 2016. He reported a total of 2,400 hours of flight experience. Of those hours, 1,900 hours were in multiengine airplanes, of which, 0 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N44311](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N44311-2019-02-04), registration cancelled 2019-02-04, S/N 34-7450206, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA34 (200) - Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200) (registry code 7103405) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 34-7450206 - Year built: 1974 - Airframe hours: 7685 - Engines: LYCOMING IO360 SER 200 horsepower reciprocating; LYCOMING IO360 SER 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2015, 85 hours before - Departed: FDW, Winnsboro, SC - Destination: FDW, Winnsboro, SC - Airport: FDW, Fairfield County, runway 22, 5,003 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 64; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 21, 2004; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 6,482 total, 500 in this make and model, 6,250 as pilot in command, 122 in the last 90 days, 95 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,400 total, 1 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: FDW ## 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 20160629018379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160629018379A), Jun 29, 2016: Piper PA-34-200, Winnsboro, SC, Substantial damage. During a missed approach when power was brought up the aircraft right wing dropped and contacted the grass between runway and taxi way. ## Other investigations on N44311 (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 DEN76FQA32](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN76FQA32), Dec 30, 1975: Piper PA-34 (N44311), Albuquerque, NM, substantial damage ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 19, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93504. 5.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40451236&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector's Written Statement (item 2, .PDF, 16 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40451237&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Written%20Statement-Master.PDF - Photos (item 3, .PDF, 2 photos, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40451238&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-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.