# NTSB NYC08CA159: Piper PA-28-161, N9233X, Vero Beach, FL, April 7, 2008

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: April 7, 2008, 16:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place: Vero Beach, FL
- Coordinates: 27.659166, -80.418891
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.6592&lon=-80.4189&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Completed, report August 28, 2008
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 67773
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC08CA159
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67773/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA159

## Probable cause

The student pilot's loss of directional control on landing. Contributing to the accident was the crosswind and wind gusts.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Airport facilities/design](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017000): Environmental issues › Operating environment · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017000/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 58 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The solo student pilot of the PA-28 was practicing at his home airport when, just after touchdown, the airplane veered off the runway and encountered a ditch. The tower-controlled airport was configured with two parallel runways and one intersecting runway. About 41 minutes prior to the accident, the recorded winds were 020 degrees at 10 knots, and the tower was directing traffic to use runways 11R and 11L. During the first landing rollout, the pilot opted to perform a touch and go instead of a full stop, due to his concerns about the winds, and his ability to control the airplane on the ground. His second approach to the same runway resulted in a go-around, again due to the winds. On the third approach, the airplane bounced, veered off the left side of the runway, encountered a ditch, and stopped. The recorded winds 13 minutes after the accident were from 350 degrees at 13 knots, with gusts to 17 knots. Subsequent to the accident, the pilot stated that he was uncomfortable with the wind and runway combination, but that he lacked the confidence to challenge the tower's runway selection. Shortly after the accident, the control tower switched operations to the single runway to align traffic with the prevailing wind.

## Factual narrative

The solo student pilot of the PA-28 was practicing at his home airport when, just after touchdown, the airplane veered off the runway and encountered a ditch. The tower-controlled airport was configured with two parallel runways and one intersecting runway. About 41 minutes prior to the accident, the recorded winds were 020 degrees at 10 knots, and the tower was directing traffic to use runways 11R and 11L. During the first landing rollout, the pilot opted to perform a touch and go instead of a full stop, due to his concerns about the winds, and his ability to control the airplane on the ground. His second approach to the same runway resulted in a go-around, again due to the winds. On the third approach, the airplane bounced, veered off the left side of the runway, encountered a ditch, and stopped. The recorded winds 13 minutes after the accident were from 350 degrees at 13 knots, with gusts to 17 knots. Subsequent to the accident, the pilot stated that he was uncomfortable with the wind and runway combination, but that he lacked the confidence to challenge the tower's runway selection. Shortly after the accident, the control tower switched operations to the single runway to align traffic with the prevailing wind.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9233X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9233X-2010-09-02), registration cancelled 2010-09-02, S/N 2841095 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-161
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 2841095
- Airframe hours: 11007
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-D3G 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: FlightSafety Academy, doing business as FlightSafety Academy
- Registered owner: FlightSafety International
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: AAIP, March 1, 2008
- Departed: VRB, Vero Beach, FL
- Destination: VRB, Vero Beach, FL
- Airport: VRB, Vero Beach Municipal, runway 11L, 3,405 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 32; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 44 total, 44 in this make and model, 6 as pilot in command, 44 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 350° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observed at: VRB

## 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 20080407837439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080407837439A), Apr 7, 2008: Piper PA28161, Vero Beach, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) Student pilot practicing "touch and go's" experienced a gust of wind while landing and was blown off runway onto the grass then into a ditch. Aircraft…

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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