# NTSB ERA18LA096: Piper PA 28, N6764W, Edgewater, FL, March 6, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 6, 2018, 10:05 local (15:05 UTC) - Place: Edgewater, FL - Coordinates: 28.986944, -80.925834 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.9869&lon=-80.9258&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report June 3, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: Lycoming Engines, Piper Aircraft, FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 96826 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA18LA096 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96826/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96826 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA096 ## Probable cause The flight instructor's failure to maintain the appropriate glidepath to the runway, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain during final approach. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (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) - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor and a student pilot were practicing pattern work at the airport. Due to their injuries, they did not recall any events before the accident. A witness reported that during a landing just before the accident, the airplane was "low" on the final leg of the traffic pattern, appeared to have increased engine power to clear the tree line, and then continued on the approach. The witness did not observe the accident sequence. Examination of the accident site and wreckage revealed that the airplane struck trees before impacting the ground about 750 ft before the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal engine operation. Given the available information, it is likely that the flight instructor allowed the airplane to descend below a normal approach path to the runway, as seen on a previous approach, which resulted in the collision with trees and terrain. ## Factual narrative On March 6, 2018, about 1005 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N6764W, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while on approach to Massey Ranch Airpark (X50), Edgewater, Florida. The flight instructor and student pilot were seriously injured. The airplane was privately owned and operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.According to a witness, who was also a pilot, the airplane was on the final approach leg of the airport traffic pattern at "low" altitudes on the previous landing while doing pattern work. The airplane descended below the treeline, the witness perceived that the airplane's engine power increased before it cleared the treeline prior to continuing the final approach. The witness then left the airport and did not witness the accident sequence. The pilot and passenger reported to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that due to the injuries they sustained during the accident, they had no recollection of the events preceding the accident. Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that it impacted the ground in a nose down attitude about 750 ft prior to the threshold of runway 18. The top section of a tree was separated and located beneath the wreckage. In addition, there were several small branches with 45° cuts in them. The inboard section of the left wing was impact crushed aft and the left-wing tip was impact crushed. The outboard section of the right wing was impact crushed aft. The empennage was buckled and the horizontal stabilator and rudder remained undamaged. A total of 25 gallons of aviation fuel was noted in the wing fuel tanks during recovery. An examination of the engine by an NTSB investigator revealed that it remained attached to the engine mounts. Thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders and crankshaft and valve train continuity were confirmed through the engine and accessories by rotating the propeller through 360° of rotation. The left and right magnetos produced spark on all ignition towers during hand rotation. The propeller remained attached to the engine and chordwise scratching was noted on the blades. The oil suction screen was free of debris and about 4.5 quarts of oil were noted in the engine per the oil dipstick. The carburetor inlet screen and the main fuel strainer were examined and free of debris. A review of the airframe revealed that flight control continuity was confirmed from the flight controls to the respective flight control surfaces. The fuel selector was tested with low pressure air and no anomalies were noted. There were no anomalies noted with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6764W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6764W-2021-05-08), registration cancelled 2021-05-08, S/N 28-20890, built 1965 (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: 28-20890 - Year built: 1965 - Airframe hours: 3605.53 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 15, 2017, 15 hours before - Departed: X50, Edgewater, FL - Destination: X50, Edgewater, FL - Airport: X50, Massey Ranch Airpark, runway 18, 4,360 × 60 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 23; injuries: serious; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; flight hours: 850 total - Student pilot; age 20; injuries: serious; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; flight hours: 2 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 11 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: EVB, 4 nm away ## 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 20180306001509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180306001509A), Mar 6, 2018: Piper PA-28-140, Edgewater, FL, Substantial damage. On 03/06/2018 at 10:04EST N6764W, a Piper PA-28-140 hit a tree during approach to landing and crashed into a carport located in the town of Edgewater, FL. ## Other investigations on N6764W (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 CHI66D0484](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI66D0484), Nov 17, 1965: Piper PA-28 (N6764W), Auburn, IN, substantial damage ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96826. 7.4 MB in all. - Memorandum for Record - No Recollection of Accident (item 1, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479286&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20No%20Recollection%20of%20Accident-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector Statements (item 2, .PDF, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479287&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statements-Master.PDF - Witness Statement (item 3, .PDF, 56 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479288&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Master.PDF - NTSB Examination Notes (item 4, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479289&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Examination%20Notes-Master.PDF - Maintenance Log Excerpts (item 5, .PDF, 172 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479290&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Log%20Excerpts-Master.PDF - Weather Observations (item 6, .PDF, 147 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479291&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Observations-Master.PDF - Investigative Photographs (item 7, .PDF, 5.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479292&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 8, .PDF, 337 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479293&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-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.