# NTSB LAX95LA018: Piper PA-28-181, N8760F, Rialto, CA, October 20, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 20, 1994, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Rialto, CA - Coordinates: 34.099227, -117.38047 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0992&lon=-117.3805&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 16, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28969 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX95LA018 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28969/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA018 ## Probable cause the flight instructor's loss of airplane control during the landing flare as a result of his inadequate supervision of the flight and delayed corrective action over his presolo student's control inputs. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - excessive, dual student - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command(cfi) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - open field ## Analysis THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) REPORTED THAT DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT HE WAS TRYING TO TEACH HIS PRESOLO STUDENT HOW TO PERFORM A FORWARD SLIP AND LANDING. THE CFI INDICATED THAT THE STUDENT INITIATED THE ASSIGNED SLIP, AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED TOWARD RUNWAY 24. DURING THE APPROACH, THE CFI APPLIED CORRECTIONS TO THE AMOUNT OF PITCH HIS STUDENT WAS USING, AND AT TIMES HE ALSO MADE CORRECTIONS TO THE FLIGHT PATH. WHEN THE STUDENT INITIATED THE LANDING FLARE, HE PULLED THE YOKE UP 'FAST AND A LITTLE HIGH,' AND THE AIRPLANE STARTED DRIFTING LEFT. THE CFI STATED THAT BETWEEN 3 AND 5 SECONDS BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, HE TOOK THE CONTROLS FROM HIS STUDENT AND INITIATED CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE AIRPLANE, HOWEVER, TOUCHED DOWN HARD SEVERAL FEET LEFT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE, AND HE LOST CONTROL OF IT. THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE 4,500-FOOT-LONG BY 100-FOOT-WIDE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST ON A NORTHEASTERLY HEADING IN AN OPEN FIELD OF WEEDS. NEITHER THE CFI NOR THE STUDENT REPORTED HAVING EXPERIENCED ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE. ## Factual narrative On October 20, 1994, at 1500 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA- 28-181, N8760F, operated by the California International School of Aviation, collided with rough terrain adjacent to the Rialto Municipal (uncontrolled) Airport, Rialto, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the instructional flight. The airplane was substantially damaged, and none of the four occupants were injured. The crew consisted of a flight instructor (CFI), who held a commercial pilot certificate, and a student pilot. The flight originated from Pomona, California, at 1350. The CFI reported that during the accident flight he was, in part, attempting to teach his presolo student how to land the airplane. When the accident occurred, the CFI was specifically trying to instruct the student in performing a forward slip to a landing. According to the CFI, his student initiated the slip as he had instructed, and the airplane descended. During the approach, the CFI applied corrections to the amount of pitch his student was using, and at times he also made corrections to the flight path. The student initiated the landing flare by pulling the yoke up "fast and a little high," and the airplane started drifting left. The CFI also reported that, between 3 and 5 seconds before touchdown, he took the controls from his student and initiated corrective action; however, the airplane touched down hard several feet left of the runway centerline, and he lost control of it. The airplane veered off the runway and came to rest on a northeasterly heading in a field of weeds. Neither the CFI nor the student reported having experienced any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Runway 06/24 at Rialto airport was 4,500 feet long and 100 feet wide. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8760F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8760F-2018-03-08), registration cancelled 2018-03-08, S/N 28-7790264, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (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: 28-7790264 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Calif Intl. School Of Aviation - Registered owner: Wind Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Normal - Departed: POC, BRACKET FIELD, CA - Airport: L67, Rialto Municipal, runway 24, 4,500 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; commercial, foreign, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 812 total, 400 in this make and model, 735 as pilot in command, 83 in the last 90 days, 33 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 12 knots - Visibility: 25 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## 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 19941020038059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19941020038059A), Oct 20, 1994: Piper PA28181, Rialto, CA, Substantial damage. During forward slip for landing CFI was correcting students errors. CFI too late on corrections. Lost control. 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.