- Date
- September 1, 2018, 10:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Cypress, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N212NAPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing area undershoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180901024329A
- Case key
- 98292
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 approach path after the airplane encountered turbulence, which resulted in the airplane landing hard short of the runway.
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, during approach, as the airplane crossed over a highway, it encountered turbulence and increased lift. He reduced power to correct, and the airplane lost altitude quickly. The student added power to compensate, but the airplane landed hard before reaching the runway, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The student 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 about 7 miles south of the airport reported that, about 10 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 090° at 5 knots. The student was landing the airplane on runway 9.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, during approach, as he crossed over a highway, the airplane encountered turbulence and increased lift. He reduced power to correct, and the airplane lost altitude quickly. The student added power to compensate, but the airplane landed hard before reaching the runway and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The student pilot 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 about 7 miles to the south of the accident airport reported that, about 10 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 090° at 5 knots. The pilot was landing the airplane on runway 9.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N212NA
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (161)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7916150
- Built
- 1978
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- EYQ · Cypress, TX
- Destination
- EYQ · Cypress, TX
- Airport
- EYQ · Weiser Air Park, runway 09, 3,455 × 40 ft, asphalt
- 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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 39 total · 39 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,100 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KIWS, 7 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 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.