Murfreesboro Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37130
Friday, November 16, 2007 8:50 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During an instructional flight the student pilot slipped the Piper PA-28-140 in order to lose altitude while on final approach for landing. After reaching a "reasonable approach altitude" the student then realigned the airplane and continued the final approach. During the flare, the student "flared way too much," and the airplane ballooned. The instructor then "grabbed" the controls and added full power in an attempt to recover. According to the instructor, the airplane was so close to the ground at this point that it did not have time to climb out. The instructor then "chose" to touchdown in the grass to the left of the runway, substantially damaging the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor's inadequate remedial action and failure to maintain runway alignment.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/16/2007
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 850
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Murfreesboro
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37130
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 355239N
Event Location Longitude 0862239W
Event Location Airport Murfreesboro Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MBT
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 615
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1456 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID MQY
Elevation of weather observation facility 615
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.24
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 22995
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern Region
NTSB Notification Date Nov 20 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2008 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Nashville, TN

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4396T
NTSB Number NYC08CA040
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7225162
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5924
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Maxair LLC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Murfreesboro
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37129
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 FYM
Departure City Fayettsville
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MBT
Destination City Murfreesboro
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 22 2008 1:50PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 3898
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --