- Date
- May 31, 2016, 18:35 local (22:35 UTC)
- Place
- Wadsworth, OH
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N991KPiper PA24
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area undershoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160531006099A
- Case key
- 93311
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 inadvertent power reduction during landing, which resulted in a runway undershoot, collision with the runway threshold, nose and right main landing gear collapse, and runway excursion.
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
The pilot reported that during a biennial flight review, the flight instructor requested that a simulated loss of engine power landing be performed while in the traffic pattern. On the base leg, it was determined that they would not reach the runway, and power was added so that a normal landing could be completed. The pilot further reported, that while on short final, the flight instructor called for more power to be added, which resulted in a pitch up attitude. Subsequently, the pilot reacted by pitching the airplane's nose down, but he inadvertently reduced power to idle. The airplane continued to sink and touched down in the grass a few feet prior to the runway threshold, which resulted in a collision with the runway threshold. The nose and right main landing gear collapsed, and a runway excursion off the left side of the runway occurred. The right wing was substantially damaged. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during a biennial flight review, the flight instructor requested that a simulated loss of engine power landing be performed while in the traffic pattern. On the base leg, it was determined that they would not reach the runway, and power was added so that a normal landing could be completed. The pilot further reported, that while on short final, the flight instructor called for more power to be added, which resulted in a pitch up attitude. Subsequently, the pilot reacted by pitching the airplane's nose down, but he inadvertently reduced power to idle. The airplane continued to sink and touched down in the grass a few feet prior to the runway threshold, which resulted in a collision with the runway threshold. The nose and right main landing gear collapsed, and a runway excursion off the left side of the runway occurred. The right wing was substantially damaged. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N991K
- Reported as
- Piper PA24 (260)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-4055
- Built
- 1964
- Airframe hours
- 6,145
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-D4A5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 27, 2015
- Departed
- 1G5 · Medina, OH
- Destination
- 1G5 · Medina, OH
- Airport
- 3G3 · Wadsworth Muni, runway 02, 3,529 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system
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
- 74
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 31, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,389 total · 957 in this make and model · 1,389 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 12, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 10,106 total · 82 in this make and model · 6,057 as pilot in command · 83 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KBJJ, 10 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 22, 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.