Chandler Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chandler, Arizona 85224
Monday, August 18, 1997 16:20 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot and the CFI were practicing touch-and-go landings. The CFI stated that the student had been using too much rudder in correcting previous landings. As they touched down the airplane began to veer to the left. The CFI told the student to straighten it out and the student added too much right rudder to correct the problem. The CFI said he added left rudder and brake to try and correct the problem, but it was too late and the airplane had already begun the inadvertent ground loop/swerve. The airplane departed the runway and subsequently struck a runway sign.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student's failure to maintain directional control due to excessive use of the rudder, and the instructor's delayed remedial action.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/18/1997
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1620
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City CHANDLER
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85224
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHANDLER MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CHD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1242
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1545 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 48
Weather Observation Facility ID IWA
Elevation of weather observation facility 1242
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 520
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 18 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1635
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N57528
NTSB Number LAX97LA294
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-150
Aircraft Serial Number 18-7709036
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 7 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 43
Airframe Hours 4360
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHANDLER AIR SERVICES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1675 EAST RYAN ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CHANDLER
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85249
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code HK8S
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code CHD
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1535
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 23 2010 3:29PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 4395
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --