Kingman Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kingman, Arizona 86401
Monday, May 27, 2002 17:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane settled into the ground during a go-around from a simulated emergency landing. The certified flight instructor (CFI) was teaching the student an abbreviated approach to landing where the turn from base to final is rounded instead of the traditional square pattern. The CFI said that about 150 feet agl as they were tuning to final he observed they were overshooting the centerline of the runway, and had an excessive sink rate. The CFI took control of the airplane and applied full power; however, the descent continued. The airplane "dropped out of the sky, and pancaked onto the ground" next to the runway. The airplane weight was 180 pounds over gross at takeoff, and about 92 pounds over gross at the time of the accident. The density altitude was approximately 5,300 feet. The airplane landed in an easterly direction; winds at the time of the accident were from the south-southwest at 20 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the CFI's failure to obtain/maintain an adequate airspeed during an attempted go-around, which resulted in a stall/mush condition. The high density altitude, tailwind, inadequate supervision, and overgross weight condition were factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/27/2002
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City KINGMAN
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86401
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 351534N
Event Location Longitude 1135617W
Event Location Airport Kingman
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IGM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 10
Degrees magnetic from airport 330
Airport Elevation 3449
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1656 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID IGM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3449
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.9
Density Altitude (feet) 5300
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15904
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 29 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 920
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 29 2004 7:30AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-LAS-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4326E
NTSB Number LAX02LA170
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 38-78A0552
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 5 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Dave Amspoker
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Kingman
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86401
Operator is an individual? No
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 --
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 No
Departure Airport Code IGM
Departure City KINGMAN
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1500
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 Maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency)
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 17 2004 6:20PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --