- Date
- November 23, 2008, 16:00 local (Nov 24, 2008, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Kona, HI
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8010YPiper PA-30
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 24, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20081123852659A
- Case key
- 69487
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 pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions and failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing factors were the delayed remedial action by the check pilot, the crosswind condition, and the rough uneven terrain.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The left seat commercial pilot was receiving an initial checkout in the airplane from the right seat check pilot in preparation for his multi-engine instructor check ride. As the pilot approached to land, he lowered the right wing to compensate for the right crosswind and maintain runway alignment. After being advised by the check pilot that the right wing was too low, the pilot raised the wing; no other corrections were made, which resulted in the airplane drifting to the left of the runway centerline. The pilot then lowered the right wing a second time to compensate for the crosswind, and for the second time the check pilot warned him that the right wing was too low. The check pilot stated that the pilot raised the right wing and then suddenly landed the airplane, which was not aligned with the runway centerline. The check pilot reported that the airplane then veered right, followed by the pilot attempting to correct. As the airplane neared the right side of the runway the pilot asked for help. The check pilot stated that she immediately took control of the airplane and brought it to a stop after entering a rough field of lava rocks. The check pilot stated that due to the pilot's sudden runway contact, there was not enough time to regain full control of the airplane and prevent it from leaving the runway. The left seat pilot stated "...the flight instructor told me, in an excited tone, 'right wing up...right wing up.' Executing that action caused the plane to veer left. I tried to correct with restoring the controls back to the right. Right main made contact, then left main, then nose gear. The plane started to fish-tail. I felt I wasn't familiar enough with the aircraft to regain control and said, 'Help, I don't have control.'" The check pilot reported no anomalies with the airplane during the flight.
Factual narrative
The left seat commercial pilot was receiving an initial checkout in the airplane from the right seat check pilot in preparation for his multi-engine instructor check ride. As the pilot approached to land, he lowered the right wing to compensate for the right crosswind and maintain runway alignment. After being advised by the check pilot that the right wing was too low, the pilot raised the wing; no other corrections were made, which resulted in the airplane drifting to the left of the runway centerline. The pilot then lowered the right wing a second time to compensate for the crosswind, and for the second time the check pilot warned him that the right wing was too low. The check pilot stated that the pilot raised the right wing and then suddenly landed the airplane, which was not aligned with the runway centerline. The check pilot reported that the airplane then veered right, followed by the pilot attempting to correct. As the airplane neared the right side of the runway the pilot asked for help. The check pilot stated that she immediately took control of the airplane and brought it to a stop after entering a rough field of lava rocks. The check pilot stated that due to the pilot's sudden runway contact, there was not enough time to regain full control of the airplane and prevent it from leaving the runway. The left seat pilot stated "...the flight instructor told me, in an excited tone, 'right wing up...right wing up.' Executing that action caused the plane to veer left. I tried to correct with restoring the controls back to the right. Right main made contact, then left main, then nose gear. The plane started to fish-tail. I felt I wasn't familiar enough with the aircraft to regain control and said, 'Help, I don't have control.'" The check pilot reported no anomalies with the airplane during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8010Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-30
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30-1116
- Airframe hours
- 2,733
- Engines
- Lycoming IO-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming IO-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Pap LLC
- Registered owner
- Pap LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 21, 2008 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- HKO · Kona, HI
- Destination
- HKO · Kona, HI
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- HKO · Kona International Airport, runway 17, 11,000 × 125 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Check pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 4, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,234 total · 7 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 4, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 788 total · 1 in this make and model · 348 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,100 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- HKO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.