- Date
- February 15, 2023, 12:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place
- Fullerton, CA · KFUL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8318CPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20230215015429A
- Case key
- 106835
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 control of the airplane during the landing roll and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in an impact with an obstacle.
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
The flight instructor reported that while practicing crosswind landings a gust of wind pushed the airplane left. The flight instructor took the controls and applied right rudder and added power to go around, but the airplane impacted a taxiway sign before it transitioned into a climb. According to the instructor, the airplane did not exhibit any abnormal flight characteristics once airborne. After communicating with air traffic control, they returned to the airplane base where substantial damage was found to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8318C
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (151)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7615087
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 3,793
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Sale Reported
- Registered owner
- Sale Reported
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KFUL · Fullerton, CA
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- KFUL · Fullerton Muni, runway 24, 3,121 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 14 total · 11 in this make and model · 0 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- April 22, 2021
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 850 total · 19 in this make and model · 763 as pilot in command · 137 in the last 90 days · 56 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.16 inHg
- Observed at
- KFUL
- METAR
- METAR KFUL 151953Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 16/M11 A3016 RMK AO2 SLP214 T01561106=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 23, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 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.