- Date
- March 19, 2002, 16:00 local (Mar 20, 2002, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Redlands, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5060TPiper PA28R-200
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020319006379A
- Case key
- 54478
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 failed to compensate for the wind condtions when he encountered an updraft followed by a downdraft.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane made a hard landing resulting in damage to a wing rib. The pilot was preparing for a certified flight instructor check ride. On the fifth landing, the pilot encountered a strong updraft about 15 feet above ground level (agl), and pulled power. This was immediately followed by a downdraft. The airplane touched down hard on the right main landing gear. The pilot completed two more landings and returned to Palm Springs. A follow-up maintenance examination discovered damage to a wing rib. The Safety Board was informed of the accident on April 8, 2002.
Factual narrative
On March 19, 2002, about 1600 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA28R-200, N5060T, made a hard landing at Redlands, California. The Flight School at Palm Springs was operating the rental airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot and one pilot rated passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal flight departed Palm Springs, California, about 1500, en route to Redlands, and returned to Palm Springs. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The operator stated that the pilot was preparing for a certified flight instructor check ride. The pilot flew to Redlands to practice landings. On the fifth landing, the pilot encountered a strong updraft about 15 feet above ground level (agl), and pulled power. This was immediately followed by a downdraft. The airplane touched down hard on the right main landing gear.
The pilot completed two more landings and returned to Palm Springs. A follow-up maintenance examination discovered damage to a wing rib.
The Safety Board was informed of the accident on April 8, 2002.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5060T
- Reported as
- Piper PA28R-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-7235187
- Airframe hours
- 4,313
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- The Flight School At Palm Springs
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 16, 2002 · 49 hours before
- Departed
- PSP · Palm Springs, CA
- Destination
- L12 · Redlands, CA
- Airport
- L12 · Redlands Municipal, runway 8, 4,505 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- December 22, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 315 total · 75 in this make and model · 256 as pilot in command · 155 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 340 total · 60 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- RAL, 17 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 19, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 306 KB 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.