- Date
- November 27, 2018, 18:30 local (Nov 28, 2018, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Casa Grande, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5668WPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing area undershoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20181127022949A
- Case key
- 98723
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 proper glidepath during the approach, which resulted in impact with a fence and terrain.
Findings · 2
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, while on final approach at night, he slowed the airplane to about 87 knots and extended 20º of flaps. He then realized the airplane's altitude was low, so he initiated a go-around, but the right main landing gear struck a fence, and the airplane impacted terrain. 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.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, while on final approach at night, he slowed the airplane to about 87 knots and extended 20º of flaps. He then realized his altitude was low, so he initiated a go-around, but the right main landing gear struck a fence and the airplane impacted the terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5668W
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (180)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-847
- Engine
- Lycoming O&VO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- CGZ · Casa Grande, AZ
- Destination
- CGZ · Casa Grande, AZ
- Airport
- CGZ · Casa Grande Muni, runway 05, 5,200 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Angle of attack indicator, Handheld GPS, Stall warning system
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
- 71
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 170 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KCGZ
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 19, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 952 KB 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 N5668W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.