Corvallis Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Corvallis, Oregon 97333
Tuesady, May 8, 2001 18:12 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The accident flight was an instructional flight with two airline transport pilot-rated pilots aboard, of whom one was a flight instructor and the other was undergoing training to become a multiengine airplane flight instructor. Approximately 1 hour after takeoff, the flight instructor initiated a simulated left engine failure situation approximately 5 nautical miles east of the airport. A visual flight rules approach was performed to runway 27 with the left engine set to a zero-thrust condition. During the landing flare, the student instructor (who, according to the flight instructor, was controlling the aircraft at the time) did not maintain alignment with the runway centerline. The airplane's airspeed also dropped below the airplane's single-engine minimum control airspeed (Vmc) in the landing flare. The flight instructor called for a go-around, both pilots advanced the throttles, and the aircraft "accelerated normally and begin [sic] a climb", according to the flight instructor. The flight instructor then reduced flaps to 10 degrees. The aircraft then began to roll and yaw to the left. The flight instructor applied full right aileron and full right rudder, and reduced power on both engines in an effort to regain control. The aircraft then struck the ground in approximately a 30-degree left banked attitude, spun around and caught fire. Post-accident examinations of the aircraft's flight controls and left engine by FAA and Textron Lycoming investigators did not reveal any evidence of pre-impact mechanical discrepancies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student instructor's failure to maintain the airplane's minimum control airspeed during a practice single-engine approach, and the flight instructor's failure to direct or accomplish a timely go-around, resulting in loss of aircraft control with insufficient altitude for recovery. A factor was the student instructor's failure to maintain runway alignment during the approach.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/8/2001
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1812
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Corvallis
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97333
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Corvallis Muni
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CVO
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 246
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1815 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID CVO
Elevation of weather observation facility 246
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.16
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13856
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date May 8 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1901
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 26 2003 8:17AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Portland (Hillsboro), OR

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N47GM
NTSB Number SEA01LA087
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-34-200
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7350224
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 23 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24.8
Airframe Hours 5450.7
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Pacific Rim Aviation
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6427 SW Airport
Aircraft Owner City Corvallis
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97333
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Avia Aviation Services
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5671 Plumley St.
Operator City Corvallis
Operator State OR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 97333
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 CVO
Departure City Corvallis
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Jan 19 2002 1:50PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 3355
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --