Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA 28 near Edgewater, FL — 2018-03-06

Final reportERA18LA096
Sign in to save
Date
2018-03-06
Location
Edgewater, FL, USA
Airport
X50
Aircraft
PIPER PA 28
Registration
N6764W
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The flight instructor's failure to maintain the appropriate glidepath to the runway, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain during final approach.

NTSB narrative

The flight instructor and a student pilot were practicing pattern work at the airport. Due to their injuries, they did not recall any events before the accident. A witness reported that during a landing just before the accident, the airplane was "low" on the final leg of the traffic pattern, appeared to have increased engine power to clear the tree line, and then continued on the approach. The witness did not observe the accident sequence. Examination of the accident site and wreckage revealed that the airplane struck trees before impacting the ground about 750 ft before the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal engine operation. Given the available information, it is likely that the flight instructor allowed the airplane to descend below a normal approach path to the runway, as seen on a previous approach, which resulted in the collision with trees and terrain.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the approach when descending below treeline.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents8

Related mishaps