Piper PA-28-181 N4177L

Summary

On 19 August 2009 at about 21:36 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N4177L, operated by Sabena Airline Training Center, Inc., was involved in an accident near Mesa, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 August 2009 at 21:36

Classification

Accident

Location

Mesa, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Falcon Field (FFZ)

Coordinates

33.4608, -111.7283

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N4177L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Sabena Airline Training Center, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mesa → Mesa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09CA406

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot’s inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and failure to maintain directional control during landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that during a crosswind landing just prior to the airplane’s nose wheel touching down, the airplane’s right wing rose and the airplane began to veer to the left. The airplane exited the runway to the left, impacted a runway sign, and ground looped. Examination of the airplane revealed structural damage to the left main landing gear strut and the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot said there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.