- Date
- January 15, 1997, 08:41 local (15:41 UTC)
- Place
- Chandler, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4101EPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970115000469A
- Case key
- 29717
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight. The student's diverted attention was a related factor.
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.
Analysis
The flight instructor (CFI) reported that on roll-out from a touch-and-go landing, the student looked down for the flap handle as he raised the flaps. During this process, the aircraft started to go to the right. The CFI stated, 'I tried to correct to the left using rudder and aileron, then also using power, but the plane ground looped to the right and the left wing dipped, striking the ground.' Additionally, the CFI indicated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft before the accident.
Factual narrative
On January 15, 1997, at 0841 hours mountain standard time, a Piper PA-18-150, N4101E, ground looped during the landing ground roll at the Chandler, Arizona, airport. The aircraft was operated by Chandler Air Service and was engaged in a dual instructional flight familiarizing the student with conventional landing gear aircraft. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and included light and variable winds of less than 2 knots. The aircraft incurred substantial damage to the left wing. Neither the commercial pilot/flight instructor nor the private pilot under instruction were injured. The flight originated at Chandler on the day of the accident at 0745.
The flight instructor stated in his written report that on rollout from a touch-and-go landing the student looked down for the flap handle as he raised the flaps. During this process the aircraft started to go to the right. He noted that "I tried to correct to the left using rudder and aileron, then also using power, but the plane ground looped to the right and the left wing dipped, striking the ground." Additionally, the pilot indicated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft prior to the accident.
The aircraft had accumulated 36 hours over a 3 week period since the last 100-hour inspection was performed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4101E
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7809068
- Airframe hours
- 6,785
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Chandler Air Service
- Registered owner
- D & J Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 21, 1996 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- CHD
- Airport
- CHD · Chandler Municipal, runway 22R, 4,395 × 75 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,256 total · 28 in this make and model · 1,068 as pilot in command · 282 in the last 90 days · 123 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KIW, 8 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.
Other investigations on N4101E · 5
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.