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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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September 19, 1990 · Piper PA-38-112 · N2516E

Watsonville, CA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
September 19, 1990
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury), 1 uninjured
Location
Watsonville, CA
Aircraft
Piper PA-38-112
Tail Number
N2516E
Operator
Santa Cruz Aviation
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
LAX90LA324

DURING A TRAINING FLT, THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) & STUDENT LANDED THE ACFT ON A ROUGH DIRT/GRASS STRIP THAT WAS 2200' LONG. THE CFI REPORTED THAT AS THE STUDENT WAS MAKING A ROUGH FIELD TAKEOFF FROM THE STRIP, THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE 'JUST BEFORE THE MIDDLE POINT OF THE RUNWAY' & 'AT THIS POINT, THE STALL WARNING BEGAN TO SOUND.' THE CFI SAID HE PUSHED THE YOKE FORWARD IN HOPES OF 'COAXING' SOME ACCELERATION, BUT THE ACFT'S SPEED REMAINED AT ABOUT 55 KTS & THE ACFT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR CLIMB. ACCORDING TO THE CFI, THE ACFT REMAINED ABOUT 10' ABOVE THE SURFACE & FELT OVERWEIGHT, UNDERPOWERED & SLUGGISH. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING TO ABORT & THE CFI HOPED TO GET THE ACFT TO ACCELERATE, WHILE DSCNDG OVER A BLUFF BEYOND THE END OF THE RWY. HOWEVER, THE ACFT HIT A BUSH OR LOW TREE, THEN IT ROTATE ABOUT THE VERTICAL AXIS & CRASHED. THE CFI RPRTD THAT THE STALL WARNING CONTINUED TO SOUND UNTIL THE ACFT 'STARTED SLIDING DOWN THE BLUFF.' NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause

IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE STUDENT PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, AND THE INSTRUCTOR'S (CFI'S) INADEQUATE SUPERVISION.

Full Narrative

DURING A TRAINING FLT, THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) & STUDENT LANDED THE ACFT ON A ROUGH DIRT/GRASS STRIP THAT WAS 2200' LONG. THE CFI REPORTED THAT AS THE STUDENT WAS MAKING A ROUGH FIELD TAKEOFF FROM THE STRIP, THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE 'JUST BEFORE THE MIDDLE POINT OF THE RUNWAY' & 'AT THIS POINT, THE STALL WARNING BEGAN TO SOUND.' THE CFI SAID HE PUSHED THE YOKE FORWARD IN HOPES OF 'COAXING' SOME ACCELERATION, BUT THE ACFT'S SPEED REMAINED AT ABOUT 55 KTS & THE ACFT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR CLIMB. ACCORDING TO THE CFI, THE ACFT REMAINED ABOUT 10' ABOVE THE SURFACE & FELT OVERWEIGHT, UNDERPOWERED & SLUGGISH. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING TO ABORT & THE CFI HOPED TO GET THE ACFT TO ACCELERATE, WHILE DSCNDG OVER A BLUFF BEYOND THE END OF THE RWY. HOWEVER, THE ACFT HIT A BUSH OR LOW TREE, THEN IT ROTATE ABOUT THE VERTICAL AXIS & CRASHED. THE CFI RPRTD THAT THE STALL WARNING CONTINUED TO SOUND UNTIL THE ACFT 'STARTED SLIDING DOWN THE BLUFF.' NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time17:50 PDT
Nearest AirportMonterey Bay (0nm)
Runway310
Runway Length2200 ft
Runway Width50 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-38-112
Tail NumberN2516E
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorSanta Cruz Aviation
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-235-L2C · Reciprocating · 112
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury), 1 uninjured
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured1
Total2
Crew 1Age 22 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind315° @ 6 kt
Visibility20 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data