# NTSB WPR23LA164: Piper PA-28-181, N4402A, Mesa, AZ, April 22, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 22, 2023, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Mesa, AZ - Coordinates: 33.460841, -111.72832 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4608&lon=-111.7283&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 107121 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA164 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/107121/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107121 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA164 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/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-28-181, 53 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 200 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/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: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that, during an instructional flight with the student pilot at the flight controls, they realized the airplane was high while they were on the base leg of the airport traffic pattern. After turning onto final approach, the student pilot conducted a forward slip to decrease altitude and intercept the glideslope. When over the runway, the student pilot had applied too much left rudder, and on touchdown the airplane immediately veered left. The student pilot then overcorrected to the right. The flight instructor stated, he then took control of the airplane and attempted to correct back to the left, however he was unable to regain directional control. The airplane departed the runway surface impacting a runway sign, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4402A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4402A), registered now, S/N 2881241, built 2019 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-A4M](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-a4m) (registry code 42276, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2881241 - Year built: 2019 - Airframe hours: 5048 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Cae Oxford Aviation Academy Phoenix Inc, doing business as Flight School - Registered owner: Cae Oxford Aviation Academy Phoenix Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, April 16, 2023 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: FFZ, Falcon Field, runway 22R, 3,799 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 23; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 441 total, 421 in this make and model, 341 as pilot in command, 114 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 18; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 12 total, 12 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 8 knots, gusting 16 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.76 inHg - Observed at: KFFZ - METAR: KFFZ 221954Z 25007G14KT 10SM CLR 31/M02 A2981 RMK AO2 SLP074 T03111022 ## 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 20230422007699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230422007699A), Apr 22, 2023: Piper PA-28-181, Mesa, AZ, Substantial damage. On April 22, 2023, at 1330 MST, a Piper model PA-28-181, single engine aircraft, was on a training flight performing pattern work at kffz under visual flight… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 7, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107121. 5.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15395431&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20revised_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 60 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15430694&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Flight%20Instructor-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15416272&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo-Rel.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.