GAA19CA508

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA28 · Hemet, CA · August 22, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
August 22, 2019, 11:24 local (18:24 UTC)
Place
Hemet, CA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N16435Piper PA28
Defining event
Landing: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report February 11, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190822013839A
Case key
100132

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 directional control while attempting to go around, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with a ditch.

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.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedPiper PA-28-180: 41 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilotPiper PA-28-180: 67 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Terrain: sloped/uneven terrainEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operationPiper PA-28-180: 2 casesAll aircraft: 270 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 solo student pilot reported that the airplane landed hard on the left side of the runway. He added right rudder, but the airplane did not respond quickly enough, so he added power to perform a go-around. The airplane then exited the runway to the left, impacted a ditch, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The student added that, after the accident, his instructor told him he could have used the right brake to aid in directional control. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. 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 the airplane landed hard on the left side of the runway. He added right rudder, but the airplane did not respond quick enough, so he added power to perform a go around. The airplane exited the runway to the left, impacted a ditch, and the nose landing gear collapsed. He added that, after the accident, his instructor told him he could have used the right brake to aid in directional control. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N16435
Reported as
Piper PA28 (180)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28-7305254
Built
1973
Airframe hours
7,334
Engine
Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · September 9, 2018
Departed
HMT · Hemet, CA
Destination
HMT · Hemet, CA
Airport
HMT · Hemet-Ryan, runway 23, 4,315 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Auto-pilot

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
69
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
48.5 total · 48.5 in this make and model · 18.5 in the last 90 days · 12.5 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
110° at 4 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
88 °F, dew point 39 °F
Altimeter
29.81 inHg
Observed at
KRIV, 15 nm away

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.5 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.