- Date
- March 2, 2018, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Vero Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N158NDPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Landing: 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
- 20180302001369A
- Case key
- 97003
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 a stabilized approach, which resulted in overcorrection with the rudder during the landing, loss of control, and a 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.
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, during approach, he was above the glideslope after adding full flaps, so he lowered the nose to lose altitude. He added that he "brought a little more speed than intended" into ground effect and the airplane yawed to the left. He overcorrected to the right. The airplane touched down to the right of the runway centerline with the nose pointed 45° to the left. The student attempted to maintain directional control, but the airplane exited the runway to the right and the right wing struck a runway sign. The student pilot taxied back onto the runway and to the parking ramp without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The chief flight instructor of the flight school 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 airport reported that, about 37 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 360° at 6 knots. The same automated station reported that, about 23 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 030° at 11 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The airplane landed on runway 04.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, during approach, he was above the glide slope after adding full flaps, so he lowered the nose to lose altitude. He added that he "brought a little more speed than intended" into ground effect and the airplane yawed to the left. He over corrected to the right. The airplane touched down to the right of the runway centerline with the nose pointed 45° to the left. The student attempted to maintain directional control, but the airplane exited the runway to the right and the right wing struck a runway sign. The student pilot taxied back onto the runway and to the parking ramp without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The Chief Flight Instructor of the flight school 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 airport reported that, about 37 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 360° at 6 knots. The same automated station reported that, about 23 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 030° at 11 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The airplane landed on runway 04.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N158ND
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (161)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2842030
- Built
- 1998
- Airframe hours
- 11,442
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Flight Safety International Inc
- Registered owner
- Flight Safety International Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · February 27, 2018
- Departed
- OBE · Okeechobee, FL
- Destination
- VRB · Vero Beach, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- VRB · Vero Beach Rgnl, runway 04, 4,974 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Angle of attack indicator
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
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 30 total · 30 in this make and model · 7 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- KVRB
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 12, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.