Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Columbus Metropolitan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Columbus, Georgia 31909
Thursday, April 3, 2008 18:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were practicing crosswind landings in a Piper PA-28-140. After completing the preflight checks the CFI experienced difficulty closing the top cabin door latch. After multiple attempts he was able to get the latch to lock. The student then began taxing the airplane, but reported the brakes were, "weak." The airplane was equipped with toe-brakes on the pilot side only, which was occupied by the student. The CFI elected to continue with the flight and they performed three uneventful touch-and-go landings. During the fourth takeoff the door latch released, the CFI immediately retarded the throttle and instructed the student to apply the brakes. The student complied but reported that the brakes were not working. The CFI then attempted to slow the aircraft down by applying the center hand brake, but found it to be ineffective. The CFI applied left rudder in an effort to prevent the airplane from rolling to the end of the runway and past the overrun. The airplane departed the runway to the left, struck a drainage ditch, and rolled down an embankment. During the accident sequence the left landing gear was separated, and the left wing sustained substantial damage. The Owners Handbook for the make and model airplane stated, "The cabin door on the Cherokee is double latched, so the chances of it springing open in flight at both the top and bottom are remote. However, should you forget the upper latch, or not fully engage the lower latch, the door may spring partially open. This will usually happen at take-off or soon afterwards. An open door will not affect normal flight characteristics, and a normal landing can be made with the door open." A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector observed tire skid marks on the runway surface that corresponded to the location of the airplane as it departed the runway.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The flight instructor's improper decision to abort the takeoff after the cabin door latch opened. Contributing to the accident was the cabin door unlatching.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/3/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1815 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Columbus |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 31909 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 323059N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0845620W |
| Event Location Airport | Columbus Metropolitan |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CSG |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 397 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1751 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CSG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 397 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 8 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 14 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| 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) | 23689 |
| NTSB Notification Source | SROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 28 2008 12:03PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1755T |
| NTSB Number | NYC08CA151 |
| 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-28-140 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-7125072 |
| 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 | Feb 1 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 44 |
| Airframe Hours | 6909 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Johnson 55TANGO LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | COLUMBUS |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 31907 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | The Flying Club of Columbus |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1000 Airport Thruway, Hanger 57 |
| Operator City | Columbus |
| Operator State | GA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | CSG |
| Departure City | Columbus |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1745 |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | CSG |
| Destination City | Columbus |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 22 2008 3:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | grer |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 13 |
| Runway Length | 3997 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |