Piper PA28 N158ND

Summary

On 2 March 2018 at about 17:30 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N158ND, operated by Flight Safety International Inc, was involved in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida, 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

2 March 2018 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Vero Beach, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Vero Beach Rgnl (VRB)

Coordinates

27.6539, -80.4228

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N158ND

Category

Airplane

Year built

1998

Engines

1

Operator

Flight Safety International Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Okeechobee → Vero Beach

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA204

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot’s failure to maintain a stabilized approach, which resulted in overcorrection with the rudder during the landing, loss of control, and a runway excursion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The solo student pilot reported that, during approach, he was above the glideslope after adding full flaps, so he lowered the nose to lose altitude. He added that he "brought a little more speed than intended" into ground effect and the airplane yawed to the left. He overcorrected to the right. The airplane touched down to the right of the runway centerline with the nose pointed 45° to the left. The student attempted to maintain directional control, but the airplane exited the runway to the right and the right wing struck a runway sign. The student pilot taxied back onto the runway and to the parking ramp without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The chief flight instructor of the flight school reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 37 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 360° at 6 knots. The same automated station reported that, about 23 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 030° at 11 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The airplane landed on runway 04.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.