- Date
- June 14, 2017, 09:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Estherville, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N33764Piper PA 28
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 23, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170614009369A
- Case key
- 95368
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 maintain crosswind correction during a go-around in gusting wind conditions.
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 solo student pilot reported that, as the airplane entered ground effect, while landing in crosswind conditions, a wind gust lifted the airplane and pushed it to the left. He added that he initiated a go-around and "[pushed] the nose down slightly to gain lift." He further added that, during the go-around, he "must have relaxed the aileron countering the wind," and a wind gust pushed the airplane to the left. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground and spun around. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located on the airport reported that, about 23 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 180° at 15 knots, gusting to 21 knots. The student pilot landed on runway 16.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, as the airplane entered ground effect, while landing in crosswind conditions, a gust of wind lifted the airplane and pushed it to the left. He added that he initiated a go-around and "[pushed] the nose down slightly to gain lift". He further added that, during the go-around, he "must have relaxed the aileron countering the wind", and a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground and spun around. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located on the airport reported, about 23 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 180° at 15 knots, gusting to 21 knots. The student pilot landed on runway 16.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N33764
- Reported as
- Piper PA 28 (180)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7505178
- Built
- 1974
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SER, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- EST · Estherville, IA
- Destination
- EST · Estherville, IA
- Airport
- EST · Estherville Muni, runway 16, 4,797 × 75 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 28 total · 28 in this make and model · 28 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.75 inHg
- Observed at
- KEST
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 8, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 8.7 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.