Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA 44 near Daytona Beach, FL — 2018-06-09

Final reportERA18LA164
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Date
2018-06-09
Location
Daytona Beach, FL, USA
Airport
DAB
Aircraft
PIPER PA 44
Registration
N21161
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilots’ improper in-flight weather evaluation and decision to continue the approach, which resulted in an encounter with a thunderstorm, a loss of airplane control, and collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate preflight weather evaluation.

NTSB narrative

The flight instructor stated that he and the private pilot-receiving instruction, who had the controls, informally checked the weather before departing for the cross-country instructional flight but that they did not obtain an official weather briefing. The flight was operating on an instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions, which included thunderstorms, frequent lightning, and low-level wind shear advisories in effect at the destination airport. A tower controller at the destination airport issued the flight a local instrument clearance and provided wind and supplemental weather information, which included wind from 310° at 14 knots, gusting to 20 knots; a low-level windshear advisory, which included wind from 320° at 15 knots and a 15-knot gain 1 mile from the end of the runway. The controller also advised the pilot that the visibility was probably 1 mile in “that precipitation" and that there was “frequent lightning cloud to ground.” During the approach, the airplane began encountering rain, which increased in intensity as the airplane neared the final approach fix (FAF). Shortly after passing the FAF, when the airplane was about 800 ft mean sea level, the controller issued a low-altitude alert. The flight instructor took the controls, added full power, and attempted to climb the airplane; however, it continued descending while about 90 knots throughout the descent and upon impact. The airplane impacted houses and then came to rest inverted in a retention pond. The flight instructor noted that there were thunderstorms east of the destination airport when the flight began; however, he did not anticipate their potential impact on the flight. While in-flight, both pilots failed to identify the frequent lightning and low-level windshear advisory as a severe weather hazard and continued the approach into an area of thunderstorm activity instead of diverting to an alternate airport.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Environmental
First missed decision gate
Did not obtain an official weather briefing before the flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents7

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