N6044W

Substantial
Minor

PIPER PA-28-140S/N: 28-20044

Accident Details

Date
Thursday, October 2, 2014
NTSB Number
ERA15CA002
Location
Toccoa, GA
Event ID
20141003X70938
Coordinates
34.598609, -83.294723
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The private pilot's failure to maintain proper altitude and the flight instructor's failure to provide correction action, which resulted in a collision with terrain during landing.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N6044W
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
28-20044
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1964
Model / ICAO
PA-28-140P28A
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
STOICOVICI MIRCEA B
Address
168 MAPLE WOOD DR
Status
Deregistered
City
TOCCOA
State / Zip Code
GA 30577-8422
Country
United States

Analysis

The flight instructor was conducting a biennial flight review for the private pilot\owner of the airplane. The private pilot departed from the 5,008-foot-long runway, performed a touch-and-go landing without incident, and entered the traffic pattern for a simulated short-field landing. While on short final, the airplane struck a berm that was located just prior to runway and sustained substantial damage to the landing gear and right wing. The flight instructor stated that he realized that the airplane was low and expected the private pilot to add engine power; however, he did not attempt to manipulate the flight controls or provide any verbal instructions. The private pilot stated that he also realized that the airplane was low, but did not react prior to contact with the ground. Both pilots indicated that they did not experience any preaccident malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The private pilot reported about 600 hours of total flight experience, which included about 475 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The flight instructor reported about 3,430 hours of total flight experience, which included about 200 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA15CA002