- Date
- September 13, 2018, 08:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Spanish Fork, UT
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7223JPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180913018549A
- Case key
- 98295
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 the runway heading during takeoff and the flight instructor’s decision to conduct primary flight instruction in an airplane without dual controls.
Findings · 4
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, during takeoff, as the airplane reached rotation speed, the student took his feet off the rudder pedals. The airplane drifted left of the runway centerline, and the student then quickly placed his feet back on the pedals and pushed the right brake, which caused the airplane to veer right. The instructor, who did not have brakes on his side, applied left rudder, but the airplane departed the right side of the runway. He added that, during the runway excursion, he heard the tail dragging along the ground or striking bushes. Subsequently, the airplane aligned with the runway, but fearing damage to the tail, the instructor aborted the takeoff and landed the airplane on the side of the runway, and it struck large mounds of dirt and a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that, during takeoff, as the airplane reached rotation speed, the student took his feet off the rudder pedals. The airplane drifted left of the runway centerline, the student quickly placed his feet back on the pedals and pushed the right brake, which caused the airplane to veer right. The instructor, who did not have brakes on his side, applied left rudder, but the airplane departed the right side of the runway. During the runway excursion, the tail was heard dragging the ground or striking bushes. Subsequently, the airplane aligned with the runway, but fearing damage to the tail, the instructor aborted the takeoff and landed the airplane on the side of the runway, striking large mounds of dirt and a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7223J
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (140)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-24559
- Built
- 1968
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SPK · Spanish Fork, UT
- Destination
- SPK · Spanish Fork, UT
- Airport
- SPK · Spanish Fork Arpt Springville-, runway 30, 6,500 × 100 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 19, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 888 total · 198 in this make and model · 856 as pilot in command · 47 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- Minor
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KPVU, 5 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 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.
Other investigations on N7223J · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.