- Date
- June 10, 2016, 20:30 local (Jun 11, 2016, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Gilmer, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6700JPiper PA 28
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Simulated/training event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160610010249A
- Case key
- 93379
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 student pilot's failure to see and avoid powerlines during landing, and the flight instructor's delayed remediation when the student cut the base to final turn short, resulting in a wire strike and collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's lack of vigilance in monitoring the area for hazards, and the low light condition.
Findings · 6
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 flight instructor reported that he was providing simulated engine failure (SEF) training, with a left 180 degree turn, to the student pilot. He reported that during the second SEF, he cut the power and the student pilot slowly made a left turn from downwind to base. The flight instructor recalled that the student "cut the base leg short" and turned toward the end of the runway. He reported that the airplane was about 25 degrees to the left of the runway centerline, the sun was setting and they failed to see the powerline wires. The airplane struck the wires and fell to the ground sustaining substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with any portion of the airplane that would have precluded normal flight operations. As a recommendation the flight instructor reported that due to the calm wind, he should have switched to the reciprocal runway to mitigate the sun's position during landing.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that he was providing simulated engine failure (SEF) training, with a left 180 degree turn, to the student pilot. He reported that during the second SEF, he cut the power and the student pilot slowly made a left turn from downwind to base. The flight instructor recalled that the student "cut the base leg short" and turned toward the end of the runway. He reported that the airplane was about 25 degrees to the left of the runway centerline, the sun was setting and they failed to see the powerline wires. The airplane struck the wires and fell to the ground sustaining substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with any portion of the airplane that would have precluded normal flight operations. As a recommendation the flight instructor reported that due to the calm wind, he should have switched to the reciprocal runway to mitigate the sun's position during landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6700J
- Reported as
- Piper PA 28 (140)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-24394
- Built
- 1968
- Airframe hours
- 3,717.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2015
- Departed
- JXI · Gilmer, TX
- Destination
- JXI · Gilmer, TX
- Airport
- JXI · Fox Stephens Field - Gilmer Mu, runway 18, 4,000 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- 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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 16, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 14,738 total · 226 in this make and model · 13,275 as pilot in command · 171 in the last 90 days · 52 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 90 total · 49 in this make and model · 14 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KJXI
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 11, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 791 KB 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.
Other investigations on N6700J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.