LAX04LA138

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-34-200 · Hollister, CA · February 13, 2004

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
February 12, 2004, 17:20 local (Feb 13, 2004, 01:20 UTC)
Place
Hollister, CA
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N55073Piper PA-34-200
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 7, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
Case key
58833

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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control and the instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Emergency procedure - simulated
Directional control - not maintainedDual studentCause
Supervision - inadequatePilot in command(cfi)Cause
On ground/water collision with objectGo-around (vfr)
Object - sign

Analysis

The airplane veered off the runway during landing and collided with a runway sign. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student were practicing a simulated single engine approach. The student lost directional control of the airplane after touchdown. The CFI elected to do a go-around. Just after adding power for the go-around, the airplane veered off of the runway and the right flap assembly impacted a runway sign. No mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported.

Factual narrative

On February 12, 2004, about 1720 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-34-200, N55073, veered off the runway during landing and collided with a runway sign at the Hollister Municipal Airport, Hollister, California. American School of Aviation, Inc., was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and the student pilot were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed from the Reid-Hillview Airport, San Jose, California, at 1700, for the local area training flight.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that the airplane veered off of the runway during landing. The airplane then collided with a runway sign and the right flap was torn from its attachments, resulting in damage to the wing spar and ribs.

In a written statement, the operator reported that the CFI and student were practicing a simulated single-engine approach. The student pilot lost directional control of the airplane after touchdown. The CFI elected to do a go-around. During the go-around, the airplane veered off of the runway and the right flap assembly impacted a runway sign. No mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported.

Aircraft

Registration
N55073
Reported as
Piper PA-34-200
Category
Airplane
Serial number
34-7350169
Airframe hours
7,200
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-C1E6, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
American School of Aviation, Inc.
Registered owner
RSM Aviation
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · October 1, 2003 · 92 hours before
Departed
RHV · Reid-Hillview, CA
Destination
307 · Hollister, CA
Airport
307 · Hollister, runway 31, 6,350 × 100 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
Flight instructor
Age
28
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Last flight review
May 31, 2003
Seat
Right
Flight hours
1,300 total · 150 in this make and model · 1,000 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Role
Student pilot
Age
25
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
November 25, 2003
Seat
Left
Flight hours
800 total · 8 in this make and model · 700 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
310° at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
61 °F, dew point 34 °F
Altimeter
30.09 inHg
Observed at
SNS, 17 nm away

Other investigations on N55073 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.