Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-28-161 near Lake Wales, FL — 2012-06-19

Final reportERA12CA407
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Date
2012-06-19
Location
Lake Wales, FL, USA
Airport
X07
Aircraft
PIPER PA-28-161
Registration
N373CA
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the student pilot’s power management, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's premature power reduction during the landing flare.

NTSB narrative

According to the flight instructor, he was conducting a training flight on short-field landings with the student pilot. During the last short-field landing, as the airplane flew over the runway numbers, the student pilot reduced the engine power to idle, and the airplane dropped and landed hard. According to the student pilot, as the airplane began to descend, he attempted a go-around, but did not advance the throttle quickly enough, and the airplane landed hard on the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the firewall was buckled. The flight instructor and student pilot did not report any malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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