Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Battleboro, North Carolina 27809
Sunday, June 8, 2003 13:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The purpose of the instructional flight was to add-on muti-engine, instrument onto the dual students certified flight instructor rating. The flight departed at 1315, the instrument flight plan was cancelled and the flight continued under visual flight rules. Examination of the radar data shows the airplane conducting maneuvers at altitudes between 4,200 and 4,700 feet above ground level. Approximately 1340, an eyewitness heard the airplane flying overhead and then heard the engine sound stop. They looked up and saw the airplane spinning towards the ground. The witness did not recall hearing the engines running during the final descent. The pilot prior to the accident reported no flight control or mechanical anomalies. No anomalies with the airplane were noted during the post-crash examination.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The certified flight instructor's (CFI) failure to maintain flying speed that resulted in a stall/spin and the uncontrolled collision with the ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/8/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Battleboro
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27809
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 360007N
Event Location Longitude 0774101W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1351 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 435
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.84
Density Altitude (feet) 2036
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17081
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 8 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 27 2005 3:52PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Greensboro FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N578TP
NTSB Number ATL03FA104
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-44-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 44-7995254
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 21 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 4429
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Airline Transport Professionals Corp. of USA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2711 Centerville Rd STE 400
Aircraft Owner City Wilmington
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19808
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 RDU
Departure City RALEIGH/DURHAM
Departure State NC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1255
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RWI
Destination City ROCKY MOUNT
Destination State NC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --