- Date
- September 28, 2014, 10:05 local (17:05 UTC)
- Place
- Rancho Murieta, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8129PPiper PA 24-250
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20140928021209A
- Case key
- 90184
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 adequate airspeed during takeoff and the certified flight instructors delayed remedial action, which resulted in the stall.
Findings · 2
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
The pilot, who held a private pilot certificate, stated that the purpose of the flight was for him to acquire hours in the airplane with a certified flight instructor (CFI) for insurance purposes. They departed from the airplane's base to a nearby airport to practice landings. After completing about two landings, the pilot configured the airplane for a short field takeoff. During the takeoff roll, he waited for the airplane to reach rotation speed and shortly thereafter they were airborne. The airplane immediately began to veer to the left and subsequently stalled. The airplane came to rest about 50 yards off the runway surface. As a result of the impact, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The pilot stated that there were no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot, who held a private pilot certificate, stated that the purpose of the flight was for him to acquire hours in the airplane with a certified flight instructor (CFI) for insurance purposes. They departed from the airplane's base to a nearby airport to practice landings. After completing about two landings, the pilot configured the airplane for a short field takeoff. During the takeoff roll, he waited for the airplane to reach rotation speed and shortly thereafter they were airborne. The airplane immediately began to veer to the left and subsequently stalled. The airplane came to rest about 50 yards off the runway surface. As a result of the impact, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The pilot stated that there were no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8129P
- Reported as
- Piper PA 24-250 (250)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-3382
- Built
- 1963
- Airframe hours
- 2,438
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-A1D5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 19, 2014
- Departed
- KPVF · Placerville, CA
- Destination
- RIU · Rancho Murieta, CA
- Airport
- RIU · Rancho Murieta, runway 22, 3,798 × 75 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 277 total · 3 in this make and model · 202 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,874 total · 21 in this make and model · 2,700 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 24, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 MB 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.
Other investigations on N8129P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.