WPR09CA283

NTSB accident investigation · Smith Albert F Challenger TWO · Moses Lake, WA · June 10, 2009

Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
June 10, 2009, 16:10 local (23:10 UTC)
Place
Moses Lake, WA
Injuries
1 minor, 1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N7095KSmith Albert F Challenger TWO
Defining event
Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 19, 2009
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Western Pacific Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20090610007739A
Case key
74020

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 student pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and failure to maintain lateral roll control of the airplane. Also causal was the flight instructor's failure to effectively communicate his instruction to relinquish the flight controls to the student pilot and his inadequate supervision of the flight.

Findings · 7

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.

Physical workspace: noiseEnvironmental issues › Task environment · Effect on personnelSmith Albert F CHALLENGER TWO: 1 caseAll aircraft: 3 cases
Communication (personnel): lack of communicationPersonnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilotSmith Albert F CHALLENGER TWO: 1 caseAll aircraft: 84 casesProbable cause
Wind: crosswindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationSmith Albert F CHALLENGER TWO: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,008 cases
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilotSmith Albert F CHALLENGER TWO: 1 caseAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Wind: crosswindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensationSmith Albert F CHALLENGER TWO: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,008 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedSmith Albert F CHALLENGER TWO: 1 caseAll aircraft: 390 casesProbable cause
Attention/monitoring: monitoring other personPersonnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilotSmith Albert F CHALLENGER TWO: 1 caseAll aircraft: 200 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 flight instructor said that after completing a series of maneuvers in the local practice area, he had the student pilot enter the traffic pattern for runway 16. The student pilot was to execute a low approach above the runway and then go around. During the low approach as the airplane passed midfield, the right wing of the airplane began to lift up, and the airplane veered to the left of the runway. The student added full power. The flight instructor announced to the student pilot that he was taking control of the airplane. Despite the flight instructor’s attempts to level the wings and gain air speed to begin a climb, the left wing of the airplane impacted a stationary unoccupied airplane. The flight instructor added that in subsequent discussions with the student pilot, the student pilot informed him that he did not hear the flight instructor announce that he was taking control and never relinquished control of the airplane. The flight instructor stated that "at full power," the engine noise was "high enough to make communication impossible." Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left and right wings were structurally damaged. The inspector reported that flight control continuity was established throughout the airplane to all primary flight controls. The reported wind at the time of the accident was 250 degrees for 8 knots, which equates to a right crosswind component of 8 knots.

Factual narrative

According to the flight instructor, after completing a series of maneuvers in the local practice area, he had the student pilot enter the traffic pattern for runway 16. The student pilot was to execute a low approach above the runway and then go around. During the low approach as the airplane passed midfield, the right wing of the airplane began to lift up, and the airplane veered to the left of the runway. The student added full power. The flight instructor stated that he announced to the student pilot that he was taking control of the airplane. Despite the flight instructor’s attempts to level the wings and gain air speed to begin a climb, the left wing of the airplane impacted a stationary unoccupied airplane. The flight instructor added that in subsequent discussions with the student pilot, the student pilot informed him that he did not hear the flight instructor announce that he was taking control and never relinquished control of the airplane. The flight instructor stated that "at full power," the engine noise was "high enough to make communication impossible." Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left and right wings were structurally damaged. The inspector reported that flight control continuity was established throughout the airplane to all primary flight controls. The reported wind at the time of the accident was 250 degrees for 8 knots, which equates to a right crosswind component of 8 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N7095K
Reported as
Smith Albert F Challenger TWO
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
CH2 0193-0942
Airframe hours
174
Engine
Hirth 2703, 55 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Angel Wings Aviation LLC
Registered owner
Angel Wings Aviation LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
Last inspection
Condition · June 8, 2009 · 0 hours before
Departed
W20 · Moses Lake, WA
Destination
W20 · Moses Lake, WA
Airport
W20 · Moses Lake Municipal, runway 16, 2,513 × 50 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
60
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
January 10, 2008
Seat
Rear
Flight hours
1,826 total · 171 in this make and model · 1,801 as pilot in command · 77 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Role
Student pilot
Age
58
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Student
Seat
Front
Flight hours
25 total · 18 in this make and model · 0 as pilot in command · 0 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
250° at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
81 °F, dew point 39 °F
Altimeter
29.81 inHg
Observed at
KMWH, 5 nm away

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 699 KB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

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