- Date
- January 24, 2009, 10:55 local (17:55 UTC)
- Place
- Bisbee, AZ
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5117LPiper PA-28-180
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 6, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090124001309A
- Case key
- 73274
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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight and delay in remedial action.
Findings · 4
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
During the instructional flight, the student pilot initiated the takeoff roll normally. As the airplane accelerated, it began to weave back and forth until it suddenly yawed sharply to the left. The flight instructor applied back pressure to the control yoke and the airplane became airborne. As the student pilot relinquished control of the airplane, she removed her hand from the throttle and inadvertently reduced it to the idle position. The flight instructor immediately advanced the throttle to the full open position as the airplane started to descend. Subsequently, the right main landing gear struck the runway precision approach path indicator lights and impacted the ground, resulting in structural damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor and student pilot stated that there were no anomalies with the flight control system or the engine at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
During the instructional flight, the student pilot initiated the takeoff roll normally. As the airplane accelerated, it began to weave back and forth until it suddenly yawed sharply to the left. The flight instructor applied back pressure to the control yoke and the airplane became airborne. As the student pilot relinquished control of the airplane, she removed her hand from the throttle and inadvertently reduced it to the idle position. The flight instructor immediately advanced the throttle to the full open position as the airplane started to descend. Subsequently, the right main landing gear struck the runway precision approach path indicator lights and impacted the ground, resulting in structural damage to the fuselage. The flight instructor and student pilot stated that there were no anomalies with the flight control system or the engine at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5117L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-4400
- Airframe hours
- 5,447
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- EMERY JONATHAN and JODEAN WENDT
- Registered owner
- EMERY JONATHAN and JODEAN WENDT
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2008 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- DUG · Bisbee, AZ
- Destination
- AVQ · Marana, AZ
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- DUG · Bisbee International Airport, runway 17, 7,311 × 100 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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 10, 2007
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 9,565 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 9,500 as pilot in command
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9 total · 9 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- DUG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.