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NTSB Report

June 18, 2016 · Beech F33 A · N853KS

Salina, KS

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
June 18, 2016
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Salina, KS
Aircraft
Beech F33 A (1993)
Tail Number
N853KS
Operator
Kansas State University Salina
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
GAA16CA331

The flight instructor reported that he and his student pilot had remained in the traffic pattern, and had been practicing short field landings and power off 180 degree accuracy turns. The flight instructor further reported that he instructed his student to perform a short field landing for their sixth and final landing, and once "they had the runway made", he would take the flight controls. He intended to demonstrate how "ground effect plays a part in our landings and how one can use it to their advantage if you were in a situation where one would be short on a power off 180 accuracy landing or in a real world situation". About 50 feet above the ground and over the runway threshold the flight instructor took the controls from the student pilot. He further reported that while he was talking to his student pilot about how "ground effect can extend your landing distance if you carry extra airspeed", he noticed that the pitch attitude was higher than normal and before he could add power or reduce the pitch attitude, the right wing "gave way" and impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the right aileron. The pilot verified that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration has published the Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3A (2004). This handbook discusses stalls and states in part: The key to stall awareness is the pilot's ability to visualize the wing's angle of attack in any particular circumstance, and thereby be able to estimate his/her margin of safety above stall. This is a learned skill that must be acquired early in flight training and carried through the pilot's entire flying career. The pilot must understand and appreciate factors such as airspeed, pitch attitude, load factor, relative wind, power setting, and aircraft configuration in order to develop a reasonably accurate mental picture of the wing's angle of attack at any particular time. It is essential to flight safety that a pilot takes into consideration this visualization of the wing's angle of attack prior to entering any flight maneuver. Stall accidents usually result from an inadvertent stall at a low altitude in which a recovery was not accomplished prior to contact with the surface.

NTSB Probable Cause

The flight instructor's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a collision with terrain.

Full Narrative

The flight instructor reported that he and his student pilot had remained in the traffic pattern, and had been practicing short field landings and power off 180 degree accuracy turns. The flight instructor further reported that he instructed his student to perform a short field landing for their sixth and final landing, and once "they had the runway made", he would take the flight controls. He intended to demonstrate how "ground effect plays a part in our landings and how one can use it to their advantage if you were in a situation where one would be short on a power off 180 accuracy landing or in a real world situation". About 50 feet above the ground and over the runway threshold the flight instructor took the controls from the student pilot. He further reported that while he was talking to his student pilot about how "ground effect can extend your landing distance if you carry extra airspeed", he noticed that the pitch attitude was higher than normal and before he could add power or reduce the pitch attitude, the right wing "gave way" and impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the right aileron. The pilot verified that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration has published the Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3A (2004). This handbook discusses stalls and states in part: The key to stall awareness is the pilot's ability to visualize the wing's angle of attack in any particular circumstance, and thereby be able to estimate his/her margin of safety above stall. This is a learned skill that must be acquired early in flight training and carried through the pilot's entire flying career. The pilot must understand and appreciate factors such as airspeed, pitch attitude, load factor, relative wind, power setting, and aircraft configuration in order to develop a reasonably accurate mental picture of the wing's angle of attack at any particular time. It is essential to flight safety that a pilot takes into consideration this visualization of the wing's angle of attack prior to entering any flight maneuver. Stall accidents usually result from an inadvertent stall at a low altitude in which a recovery was not accomplished prior to contact with the surface.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time20:45 CDT
Nearest AirportSalina Rgnl (0nm WSW)
Runway17
Runway Length12301 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledUnknown
Flight Plan ActivatedUnknown
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBeech F33 A
Tail NumberN853KS
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorKansas State University Salina
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · IO-520-BB · Reciprocating · 285
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 26 · Second Class · None
Crew 2Age 20 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDusk
Wind130° @ 10 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point70 F
Altimeter29.92 inHg
Observation Time01:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data