Piper PA28 N309PA

Summary

On 27 February 2017 at about 20:30 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N309PA was involved in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona, United States. 3 people were 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

27 February 2017 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Phoenix Deer Valley (DVT)

Coordinates

33.6869, -112.0917

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N309PA

Category

Airplane

Year built

2002

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Phoenix → Phoenix

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA166

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor’s incorrect control inputs while taking off with a known quartering tailwind, which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor reported that, during an introduction to soft-field takeoffs lesson, upon switching to the tower frequency, he and his student received the updated wind and altimeter setting. He noted that the wind was a "rear quartering crosswind" and that "I have done these before so thought I would be fine, though in retrospect [it's] been a long time since I have done [a takeoff] with similar conditions." During the takeoff, he held the yoke back with right aileron, and as the airplane began to lift off, he reduced back pressure on the yoke. After becoming airborne, the airplane drifted to the right and then settled back on the runway. He added more right aileron, rudder, and "back elevator," which reduced his forward visibility. The airplane became airborne again about 45 knots and drifted to the right of the runway centerline. He reduced power, landed, and came to a stop off the right side of the runway. The airplane was taxied back to parking with no further incident. A postaccident examination revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the rear carry-through wing spar. The chief flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The flight instructor reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 300° at 10 knots. The airplane was departing from runway 7R.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.