# NTSB LAX03LA113: Piper PA24, N842PS, Mesa, AZ, March 15, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 15, 2003, 08:09 local (15:09 UTC) - Place: Mesa, AZ - Coordinates: 33.313056, -111.659164 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3131&lon=-111.6592&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION - NTSB case key (mKey): 56658 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX03LA113 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56658/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA113 ## Probable cause The flight instructor's delayed remedial action during a go-around, which resulted in an inadvertent touchdown and hard landing. Factors associated with the accident are a momentary loss of engine power, and the inadvertent touchdown. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, go-around (vfr) - reason for occurrence undetermined (contributing factor) - Hard landing, go-around (vfr) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - touchdown - inadvertent, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, other - gear extension - not possible, pilot in command - Wheels up landing, landing - flare/touchdown - wheels up landing - intentional, pilot in command(cfi) ## Analysis The certificated flight instructor (CFI) reported he was providing instruction to a student in preparation for a private pilot certificate. The CFI simulated a loss of engine power by retarding the throttle, and the student made an approach to land on a runway. Prior to actual touchdown, the CFI terminated the simulation and instructed the student to add power and climb. The CFI stated that the engine did not immediately respond, and the airplane continued to descend, hitting the runway hard. Shortly after runway contact, the engine responded with full power, and the CFI elected to abort the landing. An airborne inspection of the landing gear disclosed that the landing gear would not extend completely, and the CFI elected to make a gear-up landing at another airport with rescue facilities. The airplane landed uneventfully gear-up, but received structural damage. ## Factual narrative On March 15, 2003, at 0809 mountain standard time, a Piper PA24, N842PS, experienced a partial loss of engine power and inadvertently made hard contact with the runway surface at Memorial Airfield (34AZ), Chandler, Arizona. The flight continued to the Williams Gateway Airport (IAW), Mesa, Arizona, and landed gear up. Arizona Cloud Busters owned and operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The certified flight instructor (CFI), a private pilot under instruction (PUI), and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area practice flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed the Stellar Airpark (P19), Chandler, Arizona, at 0710. According to both the CFI and PUI, the purpose of the flight was to practice commercial maneuvers for the PUI's upcoming commercial check ride. The CFI stated that they conducted a preflight, and discussed how to handle an engine failure on takeoff. He stated that after takeoff, about 1,000 feet above ground level (agl), he simulated an engine failure by retarding the throttle. He noted no discrepancies with the recovery of the simulated engine failure. During the flight the CFI and student flew the airplane at various airspeeds and discussed the "best glide speeds for endurance versus range." The plan at 34AZ was to simulate a loss of engine power, make an approach for landing, apply power, and complete a low approach over the field. When the student applied full power, there was no corresponding power increase for "several seconds." The CFI took the flight controls; however, the landing gear contacted the runway surface. At the time the landing gear contacted the surface, the engine "caught and developed full [rpm] in time for me to gain control and the [airplane] to gain altitude." The CFI stated that they believed the landing gear was damaged. They flew to CHD, and tower personnel stated that the landing gear was not fully extended. The CFI and tower personnel discussed landing options. The CFI decided to land gear up at IAW due to the fact that their fire department had more equipment than CHD. After the fire equipment was in place, the CFI landed on runway 12 at IAW with the landing gear retracted, full flaps, and the engine shut down. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who visually examined the airplane, there were multiple holes on the fuselage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N842PS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N842PS-2013-11-04), registration cancelled 2013-11-04, S/N 24-4685, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA24 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260) (registry code 7102406) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-4685 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Arizona Cloud Busters - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 27, 2003, 37 hours before - Departed: P19, CHANDLER, AZ - Airport: 34AZ, Memorial Airfield ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 56; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review September 29, 2002; seat: right; flight hours: 1,448 total, 292 in this make and model, 1,419 as pilot in command, 63 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 33; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 17,000 ft broken - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 29.85 inHg - Observed at: PHX, 13 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 20030315002999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030315002999A), Mar 15, 2003: Piper PA24260, Chandler, AZ, Substantial damage. (.19) On March 15, 2003, at 0809 mountain standard time, a Piper PA24, N842PS, landed gear up at the williams gateway airport (iaw), mesa, Arizona. The gear up… 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.