# NTSB MIA00LA194: Piper PA-38-112, N9713T, Montgomery, AL, June 30, 2000

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 30, 2000, 09:50 local (14:50 UTC)
- Place: Montgomery, AL
- Coordinates: 32.340427, -86.400085 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3404&lon=-86.4001&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report April 19, 2001
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 49572
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA00LA194
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49572/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA194

## Probable cause

the student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control upon encountering variable winds during the landing flare/touchdown and his failure to recover from the resulting bounced landing which resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft.

## 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
  - weather condition - variable wind
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - recovery from bounced landing - not performed, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

The student pilot stated that it was his first supervised solo flight, and during his second touch and go landing, as he flared, a gust caught the airplane, and it porpoised, bouncing three times. During the third bounce, the aircraft struck the ground in a nose-down attitude and incurred structural damage.

## Factual narrative

On June 30, 2000, about 0950 central daylight time, a Piper PA-38, N9713T, registered to and operated by Montgomery Aviation Corporation, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, experienced a hard landing at Montgomery Regional Airport, Montgomery, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The student pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, received minor injuries, and the aircraft incurred substantial damage. The flight originated the same day, about 0910.

The student pilot stated that it was his first supervised solo flight, and during his second touch-and-go landing, as he flared, a gust caught the airplane, and it porpoised, bouncing three times. The student further stated that during the third bounce the propeller struck the ground, and he knew there was no possibility of a go around. The student said he then tried to stabilize the aircraft, but was unable to do so, and the aircraft struck the ground in a nose-down attitude, incurring structural damage.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9713T](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9713T-2001-09-13), registration cancelled 2001-09-13, S/N 38-78A0165 (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: 38-78A0165
- Airframe hours: 3219
- Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 112 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Montgomery Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, May 22, 2000, 10 hours before
- Departed: MGM
- Airport: MGM, Montgomery Regional, runway 10, 9,000 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 31; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 12 total, 12 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: MGM

## 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 20000630004759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000630004759A), Jun 30, 2000: Piper PA38112, Montgomery, AL, Substantial damage. While being supervised by his instructor on an observed first solo the student overcontrolled the a/c after experiencing a gust of wind. Because the student…

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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