- Date
- May 12, 2016, 12:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Lee's Summit, MO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N228NCPiper PA 28R
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20160512006399A
- Case key
- 93184
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 pilot's improper pitch control after the landing flare, resulting in an aerodynamic stall, hard landing, and consequent substantial left wing damage.
Findings · 3
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
According to the pilot, during a Federal Aviation Administration commercial pilot practical examination, the pilot was asked to execute a simulated engine out emergency procedure, with a 180 degree turn. The pilot reported that when abeam the runway numbers he retarded the throttle to idle and turned to final. He reported that after the landing flare, the examiner told him to lower the nose, but the airplane stalled, and the airplane landed hard. He recalled that the left landing gear collapsed but the left wing did not impact the ground. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and came to a rest in the grass safety area. The pilot reported that he did not recall whether or not the examiner grabbed the flight controls, and he does not recall the examiner telling him to abort the landing and go around. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. According to the examiner, the pilot was asked to execute a simulated engine out emergency procedure, with a 180 degree turn, and that the pilot's approach was relatively stable. He reported that he told the pilot to keep the nose down after the flare, but the airplane stalled, and landed hard. He conveyed that the events occurred so quickly that he did not have time to grab the controls. He reported that the left main landing gear collapsed, but held enough of a load to prevent the airplane wing from striking the ground. The airplane exited the runway to the left, and came to a stop in the grass safety area without further incident. Both pilots reported that there were not any pre-accident mechanical failures or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, during a Federal Aviation Administration commercial pilot practical examination, the pilot was asked to execute a simulated engine out emergency procedure, with a 180 degree turn. The pilot reported that when abeam the runway numbers he retarded the throttle to idle and turned to final. He reported that after the landing flare, the examiner told him to lower the nose, but the airplane stalled, and the airplane landed hard. He recalled that the left landing gear collapsed but the left wing did not impact the ground. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and came to a rest in the grass safety area. The pilot reported that he did not recall whether or not the examiner grabbed the flight controls, and he does not recall the examiner telling him to abort the landing and go around. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. According to the examiner, the pilot was asked to execute a simulated engine out emergency procedure, with a 180 degree turn, and that the pilot's approach was relatively stable. He reported that he told the pilot to keep the nose down after the flare, but the airplane stalled, and landed hard. He conveyed that the events occurred so quickly that he did not have time to grab the controls. He reported that the left main landing gear collapsed, but held enough of a load to prevent the airplane wing from striking the ground. The airplane exited the runway to the left, and came to a stop in the grass safety area without further incident. Both pilots reported that there were not any pre-accident mechanical failures or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N228NC
- Reported as
- Piper PA 28R (200)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-35652
- Built
- 1969
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ial Corp
- Registered owner
- Ial Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 18, 2016
- Departed
- LXT · Lee's Summit, MO
- Destination
- LXT · Lee's Summit, MO
- Airport
- LXT · Lee'S Summit Muni, runway 36, 4,016 × 75 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 12, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,704 total · 16 in this make and model
- Role
- Check pilot
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,600 total · 300 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 13 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KLXT
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 26, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.