# NTSB ERA17LA301: Piper PA28R, N3805T, Monroe, NC, August 25, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 25, 2017, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Monroe, NC - Coordinates: 35.017501, -80.621948 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0175&lon=-80.6219&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: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 20, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 95914 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA17LA301 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95914/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95914 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA301 ## Probable cause A hard landing at an unknown time. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-180, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102809), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/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-28R-180, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7102809), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis During a preflight inspection of the airplane, the flight instructor and the student pilot observed a small hole in the upper surface of the left wing and skin wrinkling on the upper and lower surfaces of the left wing. The airplane had been flown twice on the previous day. The first flight, which was in the morning, was conducted by the same flight instructor and student pilot who noticed the damage. They reported that no damage was present when they performed a postflight inspection of the airplane. The second flight, which was in the afternoon, was conducted by another pilot as a personal flight. That pilot did not notice the damage during his preflight inspection. However, the damage was visible in photographs taken by a passenger on that flight, both on the ground before departure and during takeoff. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left wing spar. The damage was consistent with a hard landing; however, the investigation could not determine when the damage occurred. ## Factual narrative On August 25, 2017, about 1000 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA28R-180, N3805T, exhibited substantial damage during a preflight inspection at the Charlotte-Monroe Executive Airport (EQY), Monroe, North Carolina. A flight instructor and student pilot were preparing for an instructional flight operated by Pressley Aviation LLC. The time and date of the accident are unknown.During a preflight inspection of the airplane, a flight instructor and student pilot observed a small hole in the upper surface of the left wing, and skin wrinkling on the upper and lower surfaces of the left wing. According to operator records, the airplane, which was based at EQY, had flown twice on the previous day. The first flight was in the morning and was conducted by the same flight instructor and student pilot who noticed the damage. They reported that no damage was present when they performed a postflight inspection of the airplane. The airplane was then flown in the afternoon by another pilot, as a personal flight. That pilot did not notice the damage during his preflight inspection. However, the damage was visible in photographs taken by a passenger on that flight, both on the ground prior to departure and during the takeoff. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the left wing spar. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3805T](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3805T), registered now, S/N 28R-30119, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R (180) - Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-180) (registry code 7102809) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28R-30119 - Year built: 1969 - Airframe hours: 5500 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-B1E 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Pressley Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Pressley Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2017, 20 hours before - Departed: EQY, Monroe, NC - Destination: EQY, Monroe, NC - Airport: EQY, Charlotte-Monroe Executive - Equipment: Auto-pilot, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 21; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: none - Student pilot; age 54; injuries: none; student; seat: left; restraint: none ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: KEQY ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 29, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95914. 4.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477284&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Flight Instructor Statement (item 2, .PDF, 155 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477285&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Instructor%20Statement-Master.PDF - Student Pilot Statement (item 3, .PDF, 294 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477286&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Student%20Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - Statement from Pilot of Previous Flight (item 4, .PDF, 95 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477287&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20from%20Pilot%20of%20Previous%20Flight-Master.PDF - Correspondence from Pilot of Previous Flight (item 5, .PDF, 10 photos, 403 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477288&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%20from%20Pilot%20of%20Previous%20Flight-Master.PDF - Flight Log (item 6, .PDF, 702 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477289&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Log-Master.PDF - Photo Array (item 7, .PDF, 5 photos, 764 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477290&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.