Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-22-160 near Talkeetna, AK — 2012-09-17

Final reportANC12LA107
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Date
2012-09-17
Location
Talkeetna, AK, USA
Aircraft
PIPER PA-22-160
Registration
N8433D
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The flight instructor's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.

NTSB narrative

The flight instructor reported that he assumed control of the airplane shortly after takeoff to demonstrate a low-altitude maneuver to the private pilot. He said that during a left turn, the nose started to drop, the airplane descended, and it sounded like the speed was increasing. The flight instructor added power, leveled the airplane’s wings, and released the back pressure on the control yoke trying to break any stall, but the airplane continued to descend. As the airplane approached the ground, the instructor increased back pressure on the control yoke, but there was no response. The airplane impacted the ground. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Instructor could have avoided the left turn that led to loss of control.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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