GAA19CA280

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA28 · Charlotte, NC · May 9, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
May 9, 2019, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
Place
Charlotte, NC
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N7855WPiper PA28
Defining event
Landing: Hard landing
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 3, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190509004269A
Case key
99489

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 attempted go-around and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall followed by a hard landing, runway excursion, and impact with vegetation.

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilotPiper PA-28-180: 67 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Action: delayed actionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilotPiper PA-28-180: 10 casesAll aircraft: 894 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: tree(s)Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operationPiper PA-28-180: 14 casesAll aircraft: 933 cases
Performance/control parameters: angle of attackAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedPiper PA-28-180: 5 casesAll aircraft: 990 casesProbable cause

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 student pilot reported that, during landing on a 40-ft-wide runway, a wind gust pushed the airplane left of the centerline. While correcting back to centerline, the flight instructor told the student that the airplane was slow, so the student added power. While on short final, the instructor told the student to initiate a go-around and to "go full power." While initiating a climb, the student heard the stall warning horn, and the instructor told him to "get the nose down." As the student lowered the nose, he felt a hard "bump" as the airplane touched down on the runway. The airplane veered left off the runway, struck vegetation, and spun around. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that, during landing to a 40 ft wide runway, a wind gust pushed the airplane to the left. While correcting back to centerline, the flight instructor mentioned that they were slow, so the student added power. While on short final, the instructor told him to initiate a go around and to "go full power", and the student initiated a climb. He heard the stall warning horn and the instructor told him to "get the nose down." As the student lowered the nose, he felt a hard "bump" as the airplane touched down on the runway. The airplane veered left, struck vegetation, and spun around. 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 about 11 miles north, reported that, about 10 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 190° at 9 knots. The student pilot landed the airplane on runway 17.

Aircraft

Registration
N7855W
Reported as
Piper PA28 (180)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28-1875
Built
1964
Airframe hours
3,302
Engine
Lycoming O-360-A3A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Alpha One Air Service, LLC
Registered owner
Metrology Services Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · May 8, 2019
Departed
EQY · Monroe, NC
Destination
8A6 · Charlotte, NC
Airport
8A6 · Wilgrove Air Park, runway 17, 2,835 × 40 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Stall warning system, 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
72
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
February 8, 2018
Seat
Right
Restraint
Lap only
Flight hours
2,202 total · 1,600 in this make and model · 32.5 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Role
Student pilot
Age
68
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Restraint
Lap only
Flight hours
124.6 total · 90 in this make and model · 11 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
190° at 9 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
3,100 ft broken
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 61 °F
Altimeter
30.14 inHg
Observed at
KJQF, 11 nm away

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 2, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 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.