- Date
- October 19, 2016, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fresno, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5541FPiper PA 28
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20161019020499A
- Case key
- 94265
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 exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during departure due to being distracted by looking for his phone.
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 he flew to a tower-controlled airport to practice simulated engine failure approaches and landings. During departure following his fifth approach, he wanted to know what time it was and began looking for his phone, including reaching behind the seat to find it. He further reported that he must have been pulling back on the yoke while searching, and when he looked forward, the airplane was in a right yaw. He reported that he did not remember anything after that but believed that the airplane aerodynamically stalled and subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he flew to a tower-controlled airport to practice simulated engine failure approach and landings. During departure following his fifth approach, he wanted to know what time it was and began looking for his phone, including reaching behind the seat to find it. He further reported that he must have been pulling back on the yoke while searching and when he looked forward, the airplane was in a right yaw. He reported that he does not remember anything after that, but believed that the airplane aerodynamically stalled and subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5541F
- Reported as
- Piper PA 28 (140)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-25239
- Built
- 1968
- Airframe hours
- 6,500
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2015
- Departed
- FAT · Fresno, CA
- Destination
- FAT · Fresno, CA
- Airport
- FAT · Fresno Yosemite Intl, runway 29L, 8,008 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 17, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,441 total · 608 in this make and model · 1,317 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KFAT, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 9, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 571 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 N5541F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.