SEA03LA053

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28-140 · Troutdale, OR · March 30, 2003

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
March 30, 2003, 13:15 local (21:15 UTC)
Place
Troutdale, OR
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N4961TPiper PA-28-140
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 25, 2003
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA-FSDO
FAA report
20030330003609A
Case key
56718

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

Aircraft control was not maintained during the landing roll. An improper flare which resulted in a bounced landing was a 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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Recovery from bounced landing - improperPilot in commandCause
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The student pilot reported that after returning from the practice area, he was going to do a couple of touch-and-go landings. The first landing was without incident. During the second approach, the aircraft was not lined up with the runway and the student did a go-around. During the third approach, the student stated that the aircraft landed and the next thing he remembered was looking at the ground from the cockpit. The students flight instructor witnessed the third landing and stated that the aircraft touched down and "bounced a little" then settled when he heard power being applied. The aircraft then veered to the left. The right wing contacted the runway surface and the aircraft continued off the side of the runway. The nose gear sheared off and the airplane nosed down.

Factual narrative

On March 30, 2003, approximately 1315 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N4961T, registered to a private owner and operated by a student pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight, veered off the side of the runway at Portland-Troutdale Airport, Troutdale, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the student pilot was not injured.

In a written statement, the student pilot reported that after returning from the practice area, he was going to do a couple of touch-and-go landings. The first landing was without incident. The second approach, the aircraft was left of centerline and the student performed a go-around. The student pilot stated that during the third approach, "landed and the next thing I remember is looking at the ground from the cockpit."

The student's flight instructor, who was watching the flight, reported that this was the student's second solo flight. The instructor stated that the student accomplished one successful landing on runway 25. During the second landing attempt, the student initiated a go-around. The instructor stated that during the third attempt, the aircraft touched down and "bounced a little" then settled when he heard power being applied. The aircraft then veered to the left. The right wing contacted the runway surface and the aircraft continued off the side of the runway. The nose gear sheared off and the airplane nosed down.

Inspection of the aircraft by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector from the Hillsboro, Oregon, Flight Standards District Office, reported that the lower right section of the firewall was wrinkled around the engine mount, the right wing tip was damaged and the nose gear was sheared off.

Aircraft

Registration
N4961T
Reported as
Piper PA-28-140
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28-7225289
Engine
Lycoming O-320-E2A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
David J. Guild
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · March 20, 2003
Departed
TTD · Troutdale, OR
Airport
TTD · Portland-Troutdale, runway 25, 5,399 × 150 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
Student pilot
Age
26
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
38 total · 12 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
72 °F, dew point 50 °F
Altimeter
30.19 inHg
Observed at
TTD

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.