GAA16CA236

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA 28R · Lee's Summit, MO · May 12, 2016

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
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.

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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.

Performance/control parameters: pitch controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedPiper PA-28R-200: 1 caseAll aircraft: 526 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotPiper PA-28R-200: 29 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Action: delayed actionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilotPiper PA-28R-200: 6 casesAll aircraft: 894 cases

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.