# NTSB ERA21LA015: Piper PA24, N155TE, Friendly, MD, October 10, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: October 10, 2020, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place: Friendly, MD
- Coordinates: 38.748675, -76.955791 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7487&lon=-76.9558&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 102126
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA015
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102126/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102126
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA015

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during an aborted landing and the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial action.

## 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 · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Action: incomplete action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 105 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040/cases.md)
- [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-24-250, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/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: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)

## Analysis

During the instructional flight, the pilot performed maneuvers and procedures with the flight instructor to prepare the pilot for an instrument proficiency check. After completing the instructional portion of the flight, the pilot flew the airplane back to its home base. During the final approach to the runway, the airspeed decayed from the target speed of 85 mph to 80 mph, and the pilot lowered the nose to correct. During the landing flare, the descent rate increased, and the pilot added power to arrest the descent rate. The airplane bounced after touchdown, and the pilot attempted to abort the landing. The flight instructor “felt” the airplane settling towards the ground again and applied aft elevator to cushion what he thought would be a hard impact. The pilot said, “you are fighting me” and the flight instructor released the controls. The airplane then continued in a nose high pitch attitude off the left side of the runaway and impacted a parked airplane before eventually coming to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the outboard right wing, right aileron, and right wing spar. Both pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N155TE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N155TE-2023-01-04), registration cancelled 2023-01-04, S/N 24-2930, built 1961 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA24 (250)
- Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 24-2930
- Year built: 1961
- Airframe hours: 2839
- Engines: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 250 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 7, 2020, 3.4 hours before
- Departed: 2W5, Indian Head, MD
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: VKX, Potomac Airfield, runway 24, 2,600 × 40 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Onboard weather, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 72; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: basicmed; last flight review May 27, 2019; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 4,500 total, 2 in this make and model, 3,500 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 353 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observed at: ADW, 6 nm away
- METAR: KADW 101456Z AUTO 21011KT 10SM FEW130 SCT190 19/15 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP189 T01910146 58006 FZRANO $

## 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 20201010015349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201010015349A), Oct 10, 2020: Piper PA-24-250, Friendly, MD, Substantial damage. On October 10, 2020 at 0950, the crew was returning from an instrument procedures check. During landing, the aircraft was slow and short of the touchdown…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 26, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102126. 15.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 14 pages, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12472046&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-01%206120_1-Epley_Print2_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot and flight instructor statements (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12472124&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-02%20Pilot%20and%20CFI%20Statements_print_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Witness statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 232 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12471569&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-03%20Memorandum%20Of%20Record%20Color%20ERA21LA015%20Witness-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record - FAA inspector (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 205 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12472341&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-04%20-%20Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA%20Inspector_ERA21LA015-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photos (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 3 photos, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12472056&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=06-01-%20photo%20array_21LA015-Rel.pdf
- Video recording (item 6, MP4, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12472134&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=08-01%20Video_recording-Rel.mp4

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.

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