# NTSB GAA17CA139: Piper PA46, N4149R, Midland, VA, December 2, 2016

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: December 2, 2016, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place: Midland, VA
- Coordinates: 38.585556, -77.709724 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5856&lon=-77.7097&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 10, 2017
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 94716
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA17CA139
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94716/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94716
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA139

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent hard landing while demonstrating a short-field landing and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 200 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot receiving instruction reported that, during an annual insurance flight review, he was told to perform a short-field landing for the final landing. The flight instructor told him to be "50 ft. over the numbers at 75 KIAS [knots indicated airspeed], then go to flight idle, push the nose down, and land short." On short final, the pilot obtained the target altitude and airspeed, then reduced the power to flight idle, and the airplane dropped rapidly. He advanced the power lever, but the turbine-powered engine was slow to respond due to the spool-up lag, and the airplane landed hard and bounced. The pilot reported they taxied back to the hangar with no further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The substantial damage was discovered later during a Federal Aviation Administration evaluation for repairs for a ferry permit. The ferry permit was submitted after receiving an engineering evaluation on the structure of the fuselage to allow the company to fly the airplane to a more appropriate repair station. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The flight manual for the PA-46-350P states: "for a short field technique, flaps are to be full down, airspeed 78 KIAS, throttle as required. Once over the obstacle on final, throttle reduced to idle. After touchdown, brakes maximum."

## Factual narrative

The pilot receiving instruction reported that during an annual insurance flight review, he was told to perform a short field landing for the final landing. The flight instructor told him to be "50ft. over the numbers at 75 KIAS (knots indicated airspeed), then go to flight idle, push the nose down, and land short". The pilot further reported that on short final he obtained the target altitude and airspeed, then reduced the power to flight idle, and the airplane dropped rapidly. He advanced the power lever but the turbine powered engine was slow to respond due to the spool up lag, and the airplane landed hard and bounced. The pilot reported they taxied back to the hangar with no further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The substantial damage was discovered later during a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) evaluation for repairs for a ferry permit. The ferry permit was submitted after receiving an engineering evaluation on the structure of the fuselage, to allow the company to fly the airplane to a more appropriate repair station. The pilot reported there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The flight manual for the PA-46-350P states: for a short field technique, flaps are to be full down, airspeed 78 KIAS, throttle as required. Once over the obstacle on final, throttle reduced to idle. After touchdown, brakes maximum.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4149R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4149R), registered now, S/N 4636226, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA46 (350P)
- Registry model: [Piper PA 46-350P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-350p) (registry code 7104620) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming TIO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tio-540-series) (registry code 41569, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 4636226
- Year built: 1999
- Airframe hours: 2165
- Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-35 560 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 17, 2015
- Departed: OKV, WINCHESTER, VA
- Destination: HWY, Midland, VA
- Airport: HWY, Warrenton-Fauquier, runway 33, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 15, 2015; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,430 total, 263 in this make and model, 2,346 as pilot in command, 22 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours
- Flight instructor; age 62; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 28, 2015; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,100 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 2,000 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observed at: KHWY

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20161202022669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20161202022669A), Dec 2, 2016: Piper PA 46-350P, Midland, VA, Substantial damage. Description: on Friday dec 2, 2016, about 4:30PM landing on runway 33 at W66. Commercial pilot/cfii [privacy data omitted] flying as student and CFII [privacy…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 29, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94716. 902 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 562 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450410&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Accident Photos (Courtesy of Owner) (item 2, .PDF, 2 photos, 340 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450411&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photos%20(Courtesy%20of%20Owner)-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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