Piper PA28 N4175V

Summary

On 6 January 2012 at about 22:48 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N4175V, operated by TransPac Aviation Academy, was involved in an accident near Phoenix, 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

6 January 2012 at 22:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Phoenix Deer Valley (DVT)

Coordinates

33.6883, -112.0825

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N4175V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

TransPac Aviation Academy

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gila Bend → Phoenix

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12LA076

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s inability to maintain directional control during the landing roll for reasons that could not be determined because impact damage precluded determination of the preaccident functionality of the braking and steering systems.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot planned to conduct a solo cross-country flight with intermediate stops at two other airports before returning to the flight school base airport. The taxi, takeoff, flight, and touchdown of the first leg were normal. However, during the landing roll, the airplane pulled right, but the pilot was able to keep the airplane on the runway. The pilot stopped the airplane but did not shut down the engine or exit the airplane. Instead, he leaned out the door of the low-wing airplane to check for anomalies. He did not report seeing anything unusual; however, the wing would have blocked his view of the landing gear. He then taxied the airplane, departed, and did not experience any anomalies or difficulties with the airplane during that departure and flight. However, the student was concerned about the event at the first destination, so he opted not to land at the second planned destination, and, instead, he circled a few times and then headed toward the base airport. Although the flight school encouraged students to solicit assistance in the event of off-site problems and the pilot could have contacted the school via radio, he did not do so nor did he explain why he did not do so. The landing at the base airport was normal until the nose gear touched down, and the airplane subsequently veered right and departed the runway. The airplane struck a runway distance sign and a berm, which substantially damaged the nose and right main landing gear. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures with the landing gear that would have precluded normal operation, but impact damage to the landing gear precluded a determination of the braking and steering systems' preaccident condition and functionality. Review of maintenance records indicated that the airplane had operated normally in the several months since its most recent landing gear and steering system maintenance. Subsequent to the accident, the flight school provided students with mobile phones to improve their ability to contact the flight school in the event of off-site problems or difficulties.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.