# NTSB WPR10CA233: Piper PA-28-235, N918JR, Lake Havasu City, AZ, May 8, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 8, 2010, 10:20 local (17:20 UTC) - Place: Lake Havasu City, AZ - Coordinates: 34.571109, -114.358329 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5711&lon=-114.3583&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 22, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 75961 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR10CA233 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75961/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75961 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA233 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during a go-around, resulting in a stall/mush. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-235, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=7102810), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was on a local training flight. After flying about 1 hour in the practice area, she returned to the airport to perform touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. The reported winds at the time of the accident were 200 at 4 knots. During the approach to runway 32, she felt that a crosswind blew the airplane to the left. Landing in this position would have resulted in excessive stress to the left main landing gear. The student pilot initiated a go-around, applying full power and turning off carburetor heat. She indicated that at this point, an updraft pushed the airplane nose up and the airplane stalled. The student pilot attempted to recover from the stall; however, the "controls were sloppy and the airplane was not responding." The airplane came to rest inverted. ## Factual narrative The student pilot was on a local training flight. After flying about 1 hour in the practice area, she returned to the airport to perform touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. The reported winds at the time of the accident were 200 at 4 knots. During the approach to runway 32, she felt that a crosswind blew the airplane to the left. Landing in this position would have resulted in excessive stress to the left main landing gear. The student pilot initiated a go-around, applying full power and turning off carburetor heat. She indicated that at this point, an updraft pushed the airplane nose up and the airplane stalled. The student pilot attempted to recover from the stall; however, the "controls were sloppy and the airplane was not responding." The airplane came to rest inverted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N918JR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N918JR-2013-09-17), registration cancelled 2013-09-17, S/N 28-10791, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-235 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235) (registry code 7102810) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-10791 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540 B4B5 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Ricki-Lee Halling - Registered owner: Jon Halling - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: HII, Lake Havasu, AZ - Destination: HII, Lake Havasu, AZ - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: HII, Lake Havasu City, runway 32, 8,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 36; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 42 total, 42 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 29.85 inHg - Observed at: EED, 17 nm away ## 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 20100508033669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100508033669A), May 8, 2010: Piper PA-28-235, Lake Havasu Cit, AZ, Destroyed. On 5-8-10 at 1020 hours MST N918JR, a Piper PA-235 aircraft, piloted by student pilot ricki-lee halling, was landing on runway 32 at Lake Havasu City Airport.… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 6, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75961. 640 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 640 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40330700&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-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.