Piper PA28 N6520W

Summary

On 16 February 2020 at about 17:50 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N6520W, operated by P T Arts LLC, was involved in an accident near Sparta, Michigan, 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

16 February 2020 at 17:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Sparta, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Sparta Airport (8D4)

Coordinates

43.1275, -85.6792

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N6520W

Category

Airplane

Year built

1965

Engines

1

Operator

P T Arts LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sparta → Sparta

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20CA089

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing on the snow/slush-covered portion of the runway and the flight instructor's improper decision to allow the student to make his first solo flight from a snow/slush-covered runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that, before the accident flight, he and his flight instructor had conducted three uneventful landings on the snow-covered runway before the instructor exited the airplane to allow him to make his first solo flight. During the first solo landing, the airplane slid "a bit," and the airplane came to a stop about 90° from the desired runway heading. The student taxied the airplane back to the ramp where he and the instructor discussed the landing, and both agreed that the student could continue with his second solo flight. During the second solo landing, the airplane slid left upon touchdown, and the student applied right rudder but was unable to regain directional control. Subsequently, the airplane slid into a snowbank beside the runway. The outboard 3 ft of the left wing sustained substantial damage. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction with the flight controls, nosewheel steering, or wheel brakes. Most of the runway was covered with between about 1 and 2 inches of snow/slush at the time of the accident. It is likely that the student landed the airplane on a snow/slush-covered portion of the runway, which resulted in the loss of directional control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.