N6814W

On August 5, 1999, at 2015 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N6814W, veered off the runway and collided with ground obstructions while landing at the New Coalinga Municipal Airport, Coalinga, California. The aircraft, rented from a private individual, was substantially damaged. Neither the airline transport pilot/certified flight instructor nor the dual student pilot were injured. The local instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from the Coalinga Airport about 1915. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

The flight instructor reported that he and the student pilot were practicing a simulated forced landing to runway 30. He stated that their designated touchdown point was about 1,000 feet down the runway from the approach end. The flight instructor said that during previous portions of the flight he was aware that there was a strong gusty crosswind he estimated from 330 degrees at 10 knots at pattern altitude, although the automated weather observation service (AWOS) on the field was reporting calm winds. He reported that the three windsocks on the airport also indicated calm winds.

The flight instructor reported that while on final approach the student was correcting for the crosswind condition until they descended through about 150 feet agl, where they experienced a wind shear and the aircraft veered left of the runway heading. He stated that the student initially corrected for the drift, but they experienced more wind shear, which again resulted in significant left drift. The flight instructor felt that at that point they would not be able to correct the situation and land safely. About 40 to 60 feet agl, the flight instructor took the flight controls from the student and initiated a go-around by applying full throttle while simultaneously pushing in the carburetor heat control. He reported that the engine coughed and did not produce sufficient power to sustain flight. The airplane touched down hard on the runway with the right main landing gear first, about 700 feet from the approach end, and began to drift left. The flight instructor reported that he maneuvered the airplane to the left to avoid a concrete pipe culvert and collided with the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) lights about 30 degrees off the runway heading. The airplane came to rest about 1,500 feet from the approach end of the runway.

The flight instructor reported that the engine was still producing some power when the aircraft collided with the PAPI lights. He reported that he had not experienced any problems with the aircraft or engine prior to the accident. The flight instructor also stated that there were no toe brakes available on his side of the cockpit. The Piper PA-28-140 has a hand brake on the right side of the center pedestal, which is available to either pilot.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector from the Fresno, California, Flight Standards District Office examined the aircraft after the accident. He stated that the fuel tanks and carburetor bowl contained fuel, and the spark plugs displayed normal color and wear patterns. He reported that the internal baffling of the exhaust system was uncollapsed and revealed normal coloration. The inspector said that he did not find any mechanical problems with the engine or aircraft.