# NTSB WPR10CA086: Piper PA-28R-200, N2085T, Nogales, AZ, December 3, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 3, 2009, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Nogales, AZ - Coordinates: 31.417778, -110.847778 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.4178&lon=-110.8478&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 23, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 75181 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR10CA086 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75181/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75181 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA086 ## Probable cause The student's improper landing flare and the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-200, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=7102811), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-200, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102811), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-200, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=7102811), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28R-200, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7102811), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor said that he was giving an end-of-course stage check to the private licensed student, who was taking a commercial pilot course. The instructor said that the flight was normal and upon returning to the airport he requested to see a short-field landing. They landed in a nose-high attitude and there was "only a slight bump” when the aircraft’s main wheels touched down. Two more landings were performed by the student, which completed the stage check. Four hours later the flight instructor took the same student out for another lesson. The airplane had not been flown during this 4-hour period. During the airplane’s preflight examination, he found a large crack in the left wing's surface immediately above the landing gear attachment point. The flight instructor stated that the student did not make any hard landings during the first flight of the day. The student stated that she did not remember anything unusual about the flight. ## Factual narrative The flight instructor said he was giving an end of course stage check to the private licensed student, who was taking a commercial pilot course. He said the flight was normal and upon returning to the airport, he requested to see a short field landing. The landing was in a nose high attitude and there was "only a slight bump” when the aircraft’s main wheels touched down. Two more landings were performed by the student, which completed the stage check. Four hours later the flight instructor took the same student out for another lesson. The airplane had not been flown during this 4-hour period. During the airplane’s preflight examination, he found a large crack in the left wing's surface immediately above the landing gear attachment point. The flight instructor stated that the student did not make any hard landings during the first flight of the day. The student stated that she did not remember anything unusual about the flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2085T](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2085T), registered now, S/N 28R-7135029 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28R-200 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (registry code 7102811) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28R-7135029 - Airframe hours: 5003 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360 SER 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Tiffin Aviation Service - Registered owner: Charles E Perry - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 16, 2009 - Departed: OLS, Nogales, AZ - Destination: OLS, Nogales, AZ - Airport: OLS, Nogales International, runway 21, 7,199 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 30; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 28, 2009; seat: right; flight hours: 2,000 total, 470 in this make and model, 1,950 as pilot in command, 203 in the last 90 days, 49 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 18; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 10, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 229 total, 38 in this make and model, 128 as pilot in command, 97 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: OLS ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20091203053909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091203053909A), Dec 3, 2009: Piper PA-28R-200, Nogales, AZ, Substantial damage. The scottsdale flight standards district office (sdl FSDO) was notified on 12-04-2009, 1730 MST that a Piper PA-28R-200, N2085T and s/n 28R-7135029 had… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 8, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75181. 970 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 898 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40323766&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Pilot Interview (item 2, .PDF, 21 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40323767&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Pilot%20Interview-Master.PDF - Aircraft Sign Out Log (item 3, .PDF, 51 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40323768&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Aircraft%20Sign%20Out%20Log-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.