- Date
- April 1, 2018, 13:53 local (20:53 UTC)
- Place
- Phoenix, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N297PAPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180401003239A
- Case key
- 96965
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 improper selection of the flap setting during a go-around, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 6
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 flight instructor reported that he was conducting a lesson in takeoffs and landings and go-around procedures with the student pilot at the controls. During one particular go-around, the student retracted the flaps too far and the instructor stressed the importance of using the proper flap settings. On the subsequent downwind, the tower advised a crosswind from the south gusting to 18 knots. During the approach, the airplane drifted left of the runway centerline, so he called for the student to execute a go-around. The student pilot applied full power and reduced flaps from 40° to 10° (25º is prescribed in the go-around procedure). When the flight instructor noticed that the airplane was not climbing and the student was not correcting the course, the flight instructor took the flight controls. The flight instructor attempted to recover, but the airplane was in a nose-high attitude and struck the ground. The airplane then lifted off the ground and flew slowly toward a sign; the instructor "pulled up to avoid the sign," but the airplane struck the sign, aerodynamically stalled, and impacted the ground to the right of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the accident airport reported that, at the time of the accident, the wind was from 110° at 8 knots. The airplane was landing on runway 7L. The Federal Aviation Administration's Airplane Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-3B, contains a section titled "Go-Arounds (Rejected Landings)" which states: After establishing the proper climb attitude and power settings, be concerned first with flaps and secondly with the landing gear (if retractable). When the decision is made to perform a go-around, takeoff power is applied immediately and the pitch attitude changed so as to slow or stop the descent. After the descent has been stopped, the landing flaps are partially retracted or placed in the takeoff position as recommended by the manufacturer. Caution must be used in retracting the flaps. Depending on the airplane's altitude and airspeed, it is wise to retract the flaps intermittently in small increments to allow time for the airplane to accelerate progressively as they are being raised. A sudden and complete retraction of the flaps could cause a loss of lift resulting in the airplane settling into the ground.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that he was conducting a lesson in takeoffs and landings, and go-around procedures with the student pilot at the controls. During one particular go-around, the student retracted the flaps too far and the instructor stressed the importance of using the proper flap settings. On the subsequent downwind, the tower advised a crosswind from the south gusting to 18 knots. During the approach, the airplane drifted left of the runway centerline, so he called for the student to execute a go around. The student pilot applied full power and reduced flaps from 40° to 10° (25º prescribed in the go-around procedure). When the flight instructor noticed that the airplane was not climbing, and the student was not correcting the course, the flight instructor took the flight controls. The flight instructor attempted to recover, but the airplane was in a nose-high attitude and struck the ground. The airplane then lifted off the ground, flying slowly toward a sign, the instructor "pulled up to avoid the sign'" but the airplane struck the sign, aerodynamically stalled, and impacted the ground to the right of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the accident airport reported that, at the time of the accident, the wind was from 110° at 8 knots. The airplane was landing on runway 7L. Federal Aviation Administration's Airplane Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-3B, contains a section titled "Go-Arounds (Rejected Landings)" which states: After establishing the proper climb attitude and power settings, be concerned first with flaps and secondly with the landing gear (if retractable). When the decision is made to perform a go-around, takeoff power is applied immediately and the pitch attitude changed so as to slow or stop the descent. After the descent has been stopped, the landing flaps are partially retracted or placed in the takeoff position as recommended by the manufacturer. Caution must be used in retracting the flaps. Depending on the airplane's altitude and airspeed, it is wise to retract the flaps intermittently in small increments to allow time for the airplane to accelerate progressively as they are being raised. A sudden and complete retraction of the flaps could cause a loss of lift resulting in the airplane settling into the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N297PA
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (181)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2843506
- Built
- 2002
- Airframe hours
- 18,692
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- AeroGuard Flight Training Center
- Registered owner
- Bird Acquisition LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · March 20, 2018
- Departed
- E25 · Wickenburg, AZ
- Destination
- DVT · Phoenix, AZ
- Airport
- DVT · Phoenix Deer Valley, runway 07L, 4,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 22, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 336.3 total · 73 in this make and model · 219.3 as pilot in command
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- KDVT
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 23, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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.