GAA17CA166

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA28 · Phoenix, AZ · February 27, 2017

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
February 27, 2017, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
Place
Phoenix, AZ
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N309PAPiper PA28
Defining event
Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 15, 2017
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20170227001139A
Case key
94801

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 flight instructor’s incorrect control inputs while taking off with a known quartering tailwind, which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion.

Findings · 5

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.

Performance/control parameters: crosswind correctionAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedPiper PA-28-181: 2 casesAll aircraft: 184 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedPiper PA-28-181: 37 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilotPiper PA-28-181: 53 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Wind: tailwindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationPiper PA-28-181: 5 casesAll aircraft: 594 cases
Object/animal/substance: debris/dirt/foreign objectEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomePiper PA-28-181: 1 caseAll aircraft: 101 cases

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, during an introduction to soft-field takeoffs lesson, upon switching to the tower frequency, he and his student received the updated wind and altimeter setting. He noted that the wind was a "rear quartering crosswind" and that "I have done these before so thought I would be fine, though in retrospect [it's] been a long time since I have done [a takeoff] with similar conditions." During the takeoff, he held the yoke back with right aileron, and as the airplane began to lift off, he reduced back pressure on the yoke. After becoming airborne, the airplane drifted to the right and then settled back on the runway. He added more right aileron, rudder, and "back elevator," which reduced his forward visibility. The airplane became airborne again about 45 knots and drifted to the right of the runway centerline. He reduced power, landed, and came to a stop off the right side of the runway. The airplane was taxied back to parking with no further incident. A postaccident examination revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the rear carry-through wing spar. The chief flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The flight instructor reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 300° at 10 knots. The airplane was departing from runway 7R.

Factual narrative

The flight instructor reported that during an introduction to soft field takeoffs lesson, upon switching to the tower frequency, he and his student received the updated wind and altimeter setting. He noted that the wind was a "rear quartering crosswind", and reported "I have done these before so thought I would be fine, though in retrospect [it's] been a long time since I have done [a takeoff] with similar conditions". During the takeoff, he held the yoke back with right aileron, and as the airplane began to lift off he reduced back pressure on the yoke. After becoming airborne, the airplane drifted to the right and then settled back on the runway. He added more right aileron, rudder, and more "back elevator" which reduced his forward visibility. The airplane became airborne again, about 45 knots, and drifted to the right of the runway centerline. He reduced power, landed, and came to a stop off the right side of the runway. The airplane was taxied back to parking with no further incident. A post-accident examination revealed the airplane sustained substantial damage to the rear carry through wing spar. The chief flight instructor reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The flight instructor reported that about the time of the accident the wind was 300° at 10 knots. The airplane was departing on runway 7R.

Aircraft

Registration
N309PA
Reported as
Piper PA28 (181)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
2843508
Built
2002
Airframe hours
17,719.8
Engine
Lycoming O-360 SERIES, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
Last inspection
AAIP · February 24, 2017
Departed
DVT · Phoenix, AZ
Destination
DVT · Phoenix, AZ
Airport
DVT · Phoenix Deer Valley, runway 7R, 8,196 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
ADS-B, 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
43
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
September 28, 2015
Seat
Right
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
340 total · 51 in this make and model · 249 as pilot in command · 51 in the last 90 days · 51 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Role
Student pilot
Age
23
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
30.3 total

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Variable at 4 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
5,500 ft overcast
Temperature
59 °F, dew point 41 °F
Altimeter
29.93 inHg
Observed at
KDVT

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 4, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 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.

Other investigations on N309PA · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.