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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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July 20, 1994 · Piper PA-23-160 · N4482P

Columbus, GA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 20, 1994
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Columbus, GA
Aircraft
Piper PA-23-160
Tail Number
N4482P
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
ATL94LA151

THE DUAL STUDENT (A PRIVATE PILOT WITH SINGLE ENGINE LAND RATING) WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT DUSK, WITH A CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN THE RIGHT SEAT. DURING THE LAST LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE MAIN SPARS WERE BENT BEYOND REPAIR, FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM BOTH ENGINE GASCOLATORS, WING SKIN WAS WRINKLED, AND THE EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER WAS JARRED FROM ITS MOUNT AND HAD ACTIVATED.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE DUAL STUDENT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY FLARE THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING. FACTORS WERE THE DUSK LIGHT CONDITIONS, AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE DUAL STUDENT.

Full Narrative

On July 19, 1994, at 2100 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23-160, N4482P, landed hard at the Columbus Metropolitan Airport, in Columbus, Georgia. The commercial flight instructor and his student were not injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The aircraft was operated under 14 CFR Part 91 by Corporate Air Transport of Columbus. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the local, instructional flight. The flight originated at 2030. The flight instructor reported that after practicing some touch and go landings, his student was at the controls during the final landing. The approach proceeded normally, but the last landing was "firm." During a post-flight inspection of the aircraft, fuel was observed leaking from the aircraft. An internal inspection revealed that both main wing spars were bent. The flight instructor reported to the operator that the landing was "hard." A mechanic inspected the aircraft the following morning, and found both wing spars damaged beyond repair. All landing gear down lock switches were hanging from their wires, and fuel was leaking from the gascolators of both engines. The emergency locator transmitter was thrown from its position in the tail, and had activated. The landing gear warning horn activated when the electrical master switch was turned on. Several rivets were sheared, and the skin was wrinkled on both wings. The dual student had logged about 2,453 hours in single engine airplanes, and about 6 hours in multi-engine airplanes.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time21:00 EDT
Nearest AirportColumbus Metropolitan (0nm)
Runway5
Runway Length6998 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-23-160
Tail NumberN4482P
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-B3B · Reciprocating · 160
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 34 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDusk
Wind100° @ 2 kt
Visibility7 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 25000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point70 F
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time00:55
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data