# NTSB LAX95LA349: Piper PA-38-112, N2481F, Placerville, CA, September 28, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 28, 1995, 14:15 local (21:15 UTC) - Place: Placerville, CA - Coordinates: 38.73085, -120.799423 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7308&lon=-120.7994&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 21, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29227 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX95LA349 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29227/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA349 ## Probable cause the student pilot's failure to obtain a proper descent rate and improper remedial by failing to initiate a go-around. The inadvertent stall and the gusty wind conditions were factors in this accident. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - proper descent rate - not attained, pilot in command (cause) - remedial action - improper, pilot in command (cause) - go-around - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - On ground/water collision with object, landing - object - vasi light/system ## Analysis THE STUDENT PILOT WAS COMPLETING THE FIRST LEG OF A ROUND ROBIN SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. WHEN THE AIRPLANE NEARED THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD, THE STUDENT PILOT REDUCED THE POWER TO IDLE AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SINK RAPIDLY. THE STUDENT APPLIED POWER WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY RAISING THE NOSE. THE AIRPLANE STALLED, LANDED HARD, AND BOUNCED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY STRIKING A VASI FACILITY. ## Factual narrative On September 28, 1995, at 1415 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA38-112, N2481F, landed hard and collided with a visual approach slope indicator (VASI) facility on runway 23 at Placerville Airport, Placerville, California. The student pilot was conducting a round robin solo cross-country visual flight rules (VFR) instructional flight from Fresno Air Terminal, Fresno, California, and return with intended landings at Placerville Airport and Salinas Airport, Salinas, California. The student pilot filed and activated a VFR flight plan and was not injured. The airplane, registered to a private individual and operated by Mazzei Flying Service, Fresno, California, sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed Fresno Air Terminal at 1200 hours. The student pilot submitted the required Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2. He said in the report that when the airplane neared the threshold he reduced the engine power to idle while in a nose level attitude. The airplane then began to sink rapidly. He applied power to arrest the sink rate, but without success. At this time, the airplane's nose attitude was at a high angle of attack and the nose began to turn to the left. The airplane collided with the runway in a nose left attitude, bounced off the runway, and then struck the VASI facility. The airport manager reported that the surface winds were variable from a calm condition to gusty conditions exceeding 15 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2481F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2481F-2001-10-29), registration cancelled 2001-10-29, S/N 38-79A0471, built 1979 (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) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 38-79A0471 - Airframe hours: 9046 - Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2A 112 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Mazzei Flying Service - Registered owner: George & Anne Brannan - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 7, 1995, 61 hours before - Departed: FAT, FRESNO, CA - Destination: PVF - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: PVF, Placerville, runway 23, 4,200 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 18; student; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 35 total, 35 in this make and model, 4 as pilot in command, 35 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 19950928046849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950928046849A), Sep 28, 1995: Piper PA38112, Placerville, CA, Substantial damage. Tried to arrest high sink rate on final by raising nose without adding power. Impacted runway. Bounced into VASI. 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.