- Date
- July 20, 1998, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Whitefield, NH
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8182APiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 1, 1999
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980720016219A
- Case key
- 43269
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
The instructor pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft during landing roll. Contributing factors were the instructor pilot's improper in-flight decision, tailwind and gusty conditions, and wet (standing water) runway conditions.
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
During an instruction flight, the flight instructor (CFI) was given a clearance to execute the localizer runway 10 approach to the Mount Washington Regional Airport. The airport's runway measures 3,495 feet in length and the CFI intended to make a 'full stop' landing. The CFI estimated approximately a quarter of an inch of standing water, with surface winds of 300 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 20 knots. Because of the landing environment, the CFI decided to land the airplane herself, feeling that it might be too difficult for her student. In addition, she maintained 90 mph on final because of the wind gusts. According to the CFI, the airplane touched down on centerline, approximately 1/2 of the way down the runway, and that the brakes had no effect, and directional control was marginal. The airplane then departed the runway.
Factual narrative
On July 20, 1998, at 1615 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161, N8182A, was substantially damage when it departed the left side of a wet runway while landing at Mount Washington Regional Airport (HIE), Whitefield, New Hampshire. The certificated flight instructor (CFI), and student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight that originated from Manchester Airport (MHT), Manchester, New Hampshire. An instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The CFI stated that she checked the brakes while taxiing for departure from MHT. After departing, the pilot was assigned an initial altitude of 3,000 feet above mean sea level (MSL), and to avoid clouds building en route, she requested a higher altitude, and was subsequently cleared to 8,000 feet MSL.
According to the CFI, they where cleared for the Localizer 10 approach to HIE, with the intent of performing a full stop landing. The CFI stated that while on the approach, they descended below the clouds, about 3,500 feet MSL, and had 7 to 8 miles of visibility. The CFI estimated that on the runway was approximately a 1/4 inch of standing water, with surface winds of 300 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 20 knots. Because of the landing environment, the CFI decided to land the airplane herself, feeling that it might be too difficult for her student. In addition, she maintained 90 mph on final because of the wind gusts.
The CFI stated that the airplane touchdown on the runway centerline, approximately 1/3 of the way down the runway. She added that when she applied the brakes, they had no effect, and that directional control was marginal. The airplane then departed the left side of the runway.
In a written statement the CFI contributed the accident to hydroplaning.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8182A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8016296
- Airframe hours
- 4,631
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Safeflite Pilot Training Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 30, 1998 · 46 hours before
- Departed
- MHT · Manchester, NH
- Destination
- HIE
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- HIE · Mount Washington Regional, runway 10, 3,495 × 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
- 48
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,262 total · 1,778 in this make and model · 8,092 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,300 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HIE
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.