GAA20CA050

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA 30 · Opa Locka, FL · October 25, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
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.

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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.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedPiper PA-30: 16 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilotPiper PA-30: 28 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Action: lack of actionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilotPiper PA-30: 4 casesAll aircraft: 792 casesProbable cause
Communication (personnel): following instructionsPersonnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilotPiper PA-30: 1 caseAll aircraft: 31 casesProbable cause
Landing gear system: brakeAircraft › Aircraft systems · Not installed/availablePiper PA-30: 2 casesAll aircraft: 297 cases

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.