Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA 34-200 near VALPARAISO, IN — 2018-05-08

Final reportCEN18LA165
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Date
2018-05-08
Location
VALPARAISO, IN, USA
Airport
VPZ
Aircraft
PIPER PA 34-200
Registration
N99GN
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Go-around

Probable cause

The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain a safe operating airspeed, which resulted in a loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to monitor the pilot's airspeed control.

NTSB narrative

The pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor were conducting multiple approaches to the airport. During a simulated engine-out go-around, when the pilot advanced the throttle of the operating engine to full power, he allowed the airspeed to drop below the single-engine minimum controllable airspeed. Subsequently, the pilot lost airplane control, and the airplane descended and impacted terrain. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The instructor should have been monitoring the pilot's airspeed control and his failure to do so contributed to the accident.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the go-around when speed dropped below minimum controlled airspeed.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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