- Date
- October 25, 2019, 19:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Opa Locka, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8816YPiper PA 30
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 16, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20191025020439A
- Case key
- 100502
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 pilot receiving instruction's failure to relinquish the flight controls to the flight instructor during a simulated engine failure during takeoff, which resulted in the airplane touching down in a left banking attitude and the landing gear collapsing.
Findings · 5
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 pilot receiving instruction in the multiengine airplane reported that, during the runup, he and the flight instructor briefed for a simulated engine failure during takeoff. He added that, during the takeoff, the instructor reduced the left engine throttle, and the airplane veered left. He "lost the control," and the instructor took the flight controls. The airplane lifted off into ground effect, the left wing struck the ground, and the airplane then exited the runway and came to rest in grass. The instructor, who was seated in the left seat, reported that, after he reduced power on the left engine during takeoff, the pilot became confused by the sudden left yaw and did not react. He repeatedly told the pilot to abort the takeoff. Brakes were only installed on the pilot's (left) side, so the instructor was unable to apply brakes. The pilot panicked, moved the left throttle to full, remained locked on the controls, and applied back pressure on the yoke. The instructor continued to attempt to take the flight controls from the pilot, but the airplane entered ground effect. The instructor eventually took the flight controls, and as the airplane settled to the ground, he reduced both throttles to idle. The airplane touched down in a "left yawing, slight left bank attitude," and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane skidded on the runway to the left, rotated counterclockwise, exited the runway, and then came to rest in grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot and instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot receiving instruction in the multi-engine airplane reported that, during the runup, they briefed for a simulated engine failure during takeoff. He added that, during the takeoff, the flight instructor reduced the left engine throttle and the airplane veered to the left. He "lost the control" and the instructor took the flight controls. The airplane lifted off the ground into ground effect and the left wing struck the ground, exited the runway, and came to rest in the grass adjacent the runway. The flight instructor seated in the right seat, reported that, after he reduced power on the left engine during takeoff, the pilot became confused by the sudden left yaw and did not react. He repeatedly told the pilot to abort the takeoff. Brakes were only installed on the pilot's (left) side, so the instructor was unable to apply brakes. The pilot panicked, moved the left throttle to full, remained locked on the controls, and applied back pressure on the yoke. The instructor continued to attempt to take the flight controls from the pilot, but the airplane entered ground effect. The instructor took the flight controls and, as the airplane settled to the ground, he reduced both throttles to idle. The airplane touched down in a "left yawing, slight left bank attitude" and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane skidded on the runway to the left, rotated counterclockwise, exited the runway, and came to rest in the grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot and instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8816Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA 30 (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 301974
- Built
- 1969
- Airframe hours
- 3,256.2
- Engines
- Lycoming IO-320-B1A, 160 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming IO-320-B1A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Pilot Training Center North Miami
- Registered owner
- Saddy Barraza
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 30, 2019
- Departed
- OPF · Miami, FL
- Destination
- OPF · Miami, FL
- Airport
- OPF · Miami-Opa Locka Executive, runway 09L, 8,002 × 150 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 20
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 24, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 235 total · 8 in this make and model · 153 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 12, 2019
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,459 total · 45 in this make and model · 1,400 as pilot in command · 111 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KOPF
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 11.8 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.