# NTSB LAX03LA018: Piper PA-24-180, N5129P, Corona, CA, November 2, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 1, 2002, 17:30 local (Nov 2, 2002, 01:30 UTC) - Place: Corona, CA - Coordinates: 33.897777, -117.604164 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8978&lon=-117.6042&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 56013 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX03LA018 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56013/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA018 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudged landing flare. Also causal were the pilot's improper bounced landing recovery procedures and inadvertent swerve, resulting in the landing gear collapsing from overload. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - Complete gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear - overload ## Analysis Following an unstabilized approach, the private pilot landed the airplane hard in a nose low attitude and bounced. Thereafter, the pilot was unsuccessful in his recovery efforts and lost control of the airplane as it bounced again. The airplane swerved off the runway overloading the landing gear until it collapsed. The pilot was a ground school instructor, did not hold a certified flight instructor certificate, and was flying from the right seat. The airplane's owner, who also held a private pilot certificate, occupied the left seat. The owner indicated that his ground school instructor's handling of the airplane's controls from the right seat was problematic, and he almost lost control of the airplane during takeoff. During a subsequent approach for landing, the instructor flew the airplane a little low and fast. Upon touchdown the airplane veered to the right with the right edge of the runway well under the right wing. The instructor applied left rudder while pulling the nose up. The stall warning buzzer activated, and the instructor lowered the nose abruptly, striking the runway with the nose wheel. The airplane bounced and veered off the runway. A professional pilot, who witnessed the accident airplane's final approach, reported that the approach looked unusual and was not stabilized. The airplane appeared to dive toward the runway and was descending fast. The wings rocked and the airplane yawed. The airplane contacted the runway with its nose and right main wheels first. It then bounced about 20 feet into the air and yawed right. Then it yawed left and contacted the runway with its left main wheel and nose wheel. It bounced again and continued turning left. The airplane contacted the ground for the third and last time while in a left wing low attitude. ## Factual narrative On November 1, 2002, about 1730 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-24-180, N5129P, experienced a hard bounced landing at the Corona Municipal Airport, Corona, California. Thereafter, the private pilot lost control of the airplane, it veered off runway 25, and its landing gear collapsed. The airplane was substantially damaged. Neither the private pilot nor the airplane owner (passenger), who also held a private pilot certificate, was injured. The airplane was being operated on a personal flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Corona about 1725. According to the airplane's owner, he had purchased the airplane on October 23, 2002. The owner reported that while he was attending a ground school class at a local community college, his ground school instructor offered to show him how to fly the airplane at no charge. The instructor reportedly stated that after the student was proficient flying the airplane, he could go to a certified flight instructor and obtain a complex airplane logbook endorsement. On November 1, the two pilots met at the Corona Airport, and the owner proceeded to fly the airplane around the traffic pattern from the left seat. The ground school instructor monitored the owner's performance from the right seat. Upon completion of four full stop landings, the owner offered to let the instructor fly his airplane. The ground school instructor, who did not hold a certified flight instructor certificate, proceeded to fly the airplane from the right seat. The instructor subsequently reported having 1 hour of flying experience in this model of airplane. The airplane's owner provided the National Transportation Safety Board investigator with the following (summarized) account of the instructor's performance from commencement of their flight to the accident: The ground school instructor took control of the airplane and proceeded to taxi to runway 25. He applied full power, rotated too soon, and almost lost control on takeoff. The instructor regained control and executed a touch-and-go with little to no problems. His second attempt was better, and everything was fine while in the pattern. As he was setting up for his second touch-and-go, he was a little low and fast on final while adjusting his speed. He contacted the ground and started to veer to the right with the right edge of the runway well under the right wing. He applied left rudder while pulling the nose up and turning the aileron to the left. The stall warning buzzer went off and he lowered the nose abruptly, striking the runway with the nose wheel and bouncing as the airplane was turning left. The airplane crossed the runway to the left at a sharp angle and bounced around until the airplane came to a stop. At the time of the accident, a professional pilot was taxiing toward runway 25 for a planned departure. The professional pilot reported to the Safety Board investigator that the accident airplane's approach looked unusual and was not stabilized. The airplane appeared to dive toward the runway and was descending fast. The wings rocked and the airplane yawed. The airplane contacted the runway with its nose and right main wheels first. It then bounced about 20 feet into the air and yawed right. Then it yawed left and contacted the runway with its left main wheel and nose wheel. It bounced up and continued turning left. It hit the ground for the third and last time while in a left wing low attitude. Under the direction of the Safety Board investigator, the airplane was examined by the proprietor of the Eastman Aircraft Company, Corona, following its recovery from the accident site. According to the proprietor, the examination revealed airframe damage consistent with an airplane having landed diagonally to the runway with the right wing forward. This damage is also consistent with excessive side load to the nose gear and the right main landing gear. The ground school instructor subsequently acknowledged that, at the time of the accident, he had been the pilot handling the flight controls. In his written statement to the Safety Board investigator he did not describe his approach, but he did state that the accident landing was normal. He reported that after a short rollout of about 100 to 150 feet, the airplane turned right. According to the instructor, he had applied full left pedal and the airplane responded slowly. When the airplane was realigned with the runway, power was applied for stability. The airplane moved left, still aligned with the runway, and then the gear failed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5129P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5129P-2006-01-18), registration cancelled 2006-01-18, S/N 24-142, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-24-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-180) (registry code 7102403) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-142 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Robert R. Samora - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: AJO, Corona, CA - Destination: AJO, Corona, CA - Airport: AJO, Corona Municipal, runway 25, 3,200 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 31, 2002; seat: right; flight hours: 259 total, 1 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 260° at 7 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: CNO, 5 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20021101030249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021101030249A), Nov 1, 2002: Piper PA24180, Corona, CA, Substantial damage. (.19) On November 1, 2002, about 1740 pacific standard time, a Piper PA-24-180, N5129P, experienced the collapse and separation of one main landing gear… ## Other investigations on N5129P (1) 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 UNK65X0395](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/UNK65X0395), Oct 24, 1964: Piper PA24 (N5129P), Torrance, CA, substantial damage 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.