- Date
- January 13, 2018, 12:09 local (20:09 UTC)
- Place
- Corona, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7085RPiper PA 28
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Simulated/training event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180113007379A
- Case key
- 96604
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 and flight instructor’s failure to see and avoid powerlines during a simulated emergency landing, which resulted in a wire strike during a go-around.
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
According to the flight instructor, during an off-airport simulated engine failure with a 180° turn, he called for a go-around upon completion of the maneuver. The student initiated the go-around, but the airplane struck power line wires. The flight instructor landed the airplane in a field, and the nose landing gear separated from the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts. The flight instructor reported that this accident could have been prevented by performing a ground reconnaissance of unfamiliar practice areas to assess for hazards to flight. The flight instructor will also initiate simulated engine failures at a higher altitude to enable recovery at no less than 500ft above ground level. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the flight instructor, during an off-airport simulated engine failure with a 180° turn, he called for a go-around upon completion of the maneuver. The student initiated the go-around, but the airplane struck powerline wires. The flight instructor landed the airplane in a field, and the nose landing gear separated from the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts. Per the National Transportation Safety Board's Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot reported in the Safety Recommendation section, that this accident could have been prevented by performing a ground reconnaissance of unfamiliar practice areas to assess for hazards to flight. The flight instructor will also initiate simulated engine failures at a higher altitude, to enable a go-around at no less than 500ft above ground level. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7085R
- Reported as
- Piper PA 28 (140)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-21788
- Built
- 1966
- Airframe hours
- 9,089.69
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Dubois Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Dubois Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 28, 2017
- Departed
- CNO · Chino, CA
- Destination
- CNO · Chino, CA
- Equipment
- 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- October 5, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,015 total · 700 in this make and model · 800 as pilot in command · 115 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 3.4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 55 total · 14 in this make and model · 9 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KAJO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 17, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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.