# NTSB LAX90LA324: Piper PA-38-112, N2516E, Watsonville, CA, September 19, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 18, 1990, 17:50 local (Sep 19, 1990, 00:50 UTC)
- Place: Watsonville, CA
- Coordinates: 36.950328, -121.720046 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9503&lon=-121.7200&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 17, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 26923
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX90LA324
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/26923/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90LA324

## Probable cause

IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE STUDENT PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, AND THE INSTRUCTOR'S (CFI'S) INADEQUATE SUPERVISION.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with object, takeoff
  - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - rough/uneven
  - aircraft handling - improper, dual student (cause)
  - airspeed - not attained, dual student (cause)
  - supervision - improper, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
  - object - tree(s)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing

## Analysis

DURING A TRAINING FLT, THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) & STUDENT LANDED THE ACFT ON A ROUGH DIRT/GRASS STRIP THAT WAS 2200' LONG. THE CFI REPORTED THAT AS THE STUDENT WAS MAKING A ROUGH FIELD TAKEOFF FROM THE STRIP, THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE 'JUST BEFORE THE MIDDLE POINT  OF THE RUNWAY' & 'AT THIS POINT, THE STALL WARNING BEGAN TO SOUND.'  THE CFI SAID HE PUSHED THE YOKE FORWARD IN  HOPES OF 'COAXING' SOME ACCELERATION, BUT THE ACFT'S SPEED REMAINED AT ABOUT 55 KTS & THE ACFT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR CLIMB.  ACCORDING TO THE CFI, THE ACFT REMAINED ABOUT 10' ABOVE THE SURFACE & FELT OVERWEIGHT, UNDERPOWERED & SLUGGISH.  THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING TO ABORT & THE CFI HOPED TO GET THE ACFT TO ACCELERATE, WHILE DSCNDG OVER A BLUFF BEYOND THE END OF THE RWY.  HOWEVER, THE ACFT HIT A BUSH OR LOW TREE, THEN IT ROTATE ABOUT THE VERTICAL AXIS & CRASHED. THE CFI RPRTD THAT THE STALL WARNING CONTINUED TO SOUND UNTIL THE ACFT 'STARTED SLIDING DOWN THE BLUFF.'  NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2516E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2516E-1991-07-18), registration cancelled 1991-07-18, S/N 3878A0478 (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: 38-78a0478
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 112 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Santa Cruz Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: CA66
- Destination: WVI
- Airport: CA66, Monterey Bay, runway 310, 2,200 × 50 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 22; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 730 total, 70 in this make and model, 635 as pilot in command, 70 in the last 90 days, 65 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 315° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F

## 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 19900918040759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900918040759A), Sep 18, 1990: Piper PA38112, Watsonville, CA, Substantial damage. Struck tree off end runway and slid down embankment on takeoff. Aircraft performance midjudged on short dirt strip.

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.

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