# NTSB LAX01LA217: Piper PA-38-112, N2572N, Auburn, CA, June 22, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 22, 2001, 09:40 local (16:40 UTC) - Place: Auburn, CA - Coordinates: 38.958057, -121.066665 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9581&lon=-121.0667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 28, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION - NTSB case key (mKey): 53349 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX01LA217 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53349/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA217 ## Probable cause Failure of the student pilot to maintain a proper airspeed during landing, which lead to a hard landing and porpoise down the runway leading to the collapse of the nose landing gear. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - airspeed - high, pilot in command (cause) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Nose gear collapsed, landing ## Analysis The student pilot landed hard and the airplane porpoised down the runway, collapsing the nose landing gear, which damaged the firewall. This was an instructional flight that was terminating at home base. No discrepancies were noted with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On June 22, 2001, at 0940 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-38-112, N2572N, landed hard and collapsed the nose landing gear at the Auburn Municipal Airport, Auburn, California. The airplane, owned and operated by Mazzei's Flying Service as an instructional flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, sustained substantial damage. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. The flight departed the Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Fresno, California, about 0800. The flight was scheduled to terminate at the Fresno airport. According to witnesses on the airport, on the landing touchdown the airplane porpoised three times down runway 25 and the nose landing gear collapsed. In the student pilot's written statement to the Safety Board, he stated that the purpose of the flight was to conduct touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. On the first landing the airplane "touched down fast . . . ," and bounced into the air two times. When the airplane touched down on the runway the third time, the nose landing gear collapsed. No discrepancies were noted with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2572N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2572N-2011-11-09), registration cancelled 2011-11-09, S/N 3879A0925 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-38-112 - Registry model: [Piper PA-38-112](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (registry code 7103812) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3879A0925 - Airframe hours: 4700 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 112 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Golden Eagle Enterprises, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 14, 2001, 37 hours before - Departed: FAT, FRESNO, CA - Destination: AUB, AUBURN, CA - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: AUN, Auburn Municipal, runway 25, 3,100 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 46 total, 46 in this make and model, 5 as pilot in command, 46 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 2 knots - Visibility: 25 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: BAB, 20 nm away ## Other investigations on N2572N (2) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB WPR09CA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA011), Oct 12, 2008: Piper PA-38-112 (N2572N), Fresno, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain a proper glide path while on final approach. - [NTSB LAX00LA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA075), Jan 15, 2000: Piper PA-38-112 (N2572N), Kernville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's in-flight decision to not refuel the airplane at an en route stop as planned. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.