PIPER PA 28-140 near Belen, NM — 2014-09-08
- Date
- 2014-09-08
- Location
- Belen, NM, USA
- Airport
- E80
- Aircraft
- PIPER PA 28-140
- Registration
- N6693W
- Category
- Airplane
- Highest injury
- Minor
- Fatalities
- 0
- Phase of flight
- Landing
Probable cause
The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
NTSB narrative
On the student pilot's second solo landing the airplane landed hard and bounced twice. The flight instructor, standing on the side of the runway, radioed instructions to "go-around". The student pilot then applied full power, applied right rudder and retracted one notch of flaps. The flight instructor observed the airplane was then in a steep nose up stalling pitch attitude. He radioed instructions to "pitch down, pitch down", and with the airplane very low to the ground and drifting left, the student pilot radioed back asking the flight instructor to "say again". Control was lost and the airplane impacted a hangar about 650 feet to the left of runway center line. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, tail surfaces, and both wings which were completely separated as the airplane penetrated the hangar wall. The fuselage came to rest inside the closed hangar and there was no postimpact fire. The student pilot reported that had attempted the go-around with too much pitch, too little speed, and not enough rudder input. He also reported that the accident would not have happened if he had spent more of his attention "flying the plane" and less attention communicating on the radio during a critical phase of flight. Additionally, the student pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Analysis
- Primary failure mode
- Loss of control
- First missed decision gate
- Student pilot could have focused more on flying instead of radio communication.
NTSB coding
Evidence available
- Photos
- 6 docket documents
Docket documents6
- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - CFIform
- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Student Pilotform
- Map with Flight Instructor's Commentsother
- Map with Student Pilot's Commentsother
- Photo 1 - Wreckage Entry Point into Hangar (Photo Courtesy of FAA)photos
- Photo 2 - Wreckage From Inside Hangar (Photo Courtesy of FAA)photos
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