- Date
- August 14, 2017, 07:58 local (14:58 UTC)
- Place
- Chandler, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N915PAPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170814010649A
- Case key
- 95819
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 directional control during landing.
Findings · 2
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, after completing three takeoffs and landings unassisted with his flight instructor, he took off for his first solo. He added that, during the first solo landing, the airplane "floated" in ground effect for about 4 to 5 seconds, and he added rudder to align the airplane with the runway centerline. He further added that the airplane's nosewheel was "not straight when it touched [down]" on the runway. Subsequently, the student pilot applied brake to maintain directional control and then applied power to abort the landing, but the airplane veered off the runway to the right. He then reduced power to idle and stopped the airplane in the grass next to the runway and awaited instructions from air traffic control. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, after completing three takeoffs and landings unassisted with his flight instructor, he took off for his first solo. He added that, during the first landing, the airplane "floated" in ground effect for about 4 to 5 seconds, and he added rudder to align the airplane with the runway centerline. He further added that the airplane's nose wheel was "not straight when it touched [down]" on the runway. Subsequently, the student pilot applied brake to maintain directional and then applied power to abort the landing, but the airplane veered off the runway to the right. He then reduced power to idle and stopped the airplane in the grass next the runway and awaited instructions from air traffic control. The left wing sustained substantial damage during the runway excursion. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N915PA
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (181)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2843304
- Built
- 1999
- Airframe hours
- 18,932
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- TransPac Aviation Academy
- Registered owner
- Bird Acquisition LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · August 11, 2017
- Departed
- CHD · Chandler, AZ
- Destination
- CHD · Chandler, AZ
- Airport
- CHD · Chandler Muni, runway 04L, 4,401 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS, Stall warning system, ADS-B
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
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 31 total · 31 in this make and model · 31 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KCHD
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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.