WPR09CA045

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-30 · Kona, HI · November 24, 2008

Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal report
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.

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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.

Action: incorrect action performancePersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotPiper PA-30: 4 casesAll aircraft: 1,386 casesProbable cause
Action: delayed actionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilotPiper PA-30: 3 casesAll aircraft: 894 casesProbable cause
Wind: crosswindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcomePiper PA-30: 2 casesAll aircraft: 1,008 cases
Terrain: rough terrainEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipmentPiper PA-30: 3 casesAll aircraft: 442 cases
Wind: crosswindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensationPiper PA-30: 2 casesAll aircraft: 1,008 casesProbable cause

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.