- Date
- September 21, 2016, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ottumwa, IA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3803TPiper PA28R
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160921019519A
- Case key
- 94060
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 receiving instruction's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle-of-attack during a simulated engine failure and landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Findings · 4
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 the pilot receiving instruction was demonstrating a power-off 180 degree landing. He further reported that as the airplane entered a close-in base to final approach, the airspeed slowed and the stall warning light started to flicker. The flight instructor reported that he stated to the pilot flying, "nose down, nose down," and waited for him to correct. Subsequently, the flight instructor took the flight controls, but as he did so, the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall and touched down hard on the runway. During the landing roll, the flight instructor reported that he lost rudder authority but was able to use differential braking to maintain directional control and taxi off the runway. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that the pilot receiving instruction was demonstrating a power-off 180 degree landing. He further reported that as the airplane entered a close-in base to final approach, the airspeed slowed and the stall warning light started to flicker. The flight instructor reported that he stated to the pilot flying, "nose down, nose down," and waited for him to correct. Subsequently, the flight instructor took the flight controls, but as he did so, the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall and touched down hard on the runway. During the landing roll, the flight instructor reported that he lost rudder authority but was able to use differential braking to maintain directional control and taxi off the runway. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3803T
- Reported as
- Piper PA28R (180)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-30117
- Built
- 1967
- Airframe hours
- 3,927
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-B1E, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Indian Hills Community College
- Registered owner
- Archangel Services LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 31, 2016
- Departed
- OTM · Ottumwa, IA
- Destination
- OTM · Ottumwa, IA
- Airport
- OTM · Ottumwa Rgnl, runway 13, 5,885 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS, 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
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 29, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,215 total · 9 in this make and model · 1,180 as pilot in command · 130 in the last 90 days · 36 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 15, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 190 total · 11 in this make and model · 163 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KOTM
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 10, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.8 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.