Falcon Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mesa, Arizona 85215
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 12:25 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot was performing a solo flight and was on an extended final for runway 22L with the intention of performing a full stop landing. The air traffic control tower requested that he change to runway 22R. The pilot maneuvered the airplane for the requested runway and was cleared to land. He extended the flaps to 40 degrees on short final. He stated that he should have extended the flaps earlier because of excessive airspeed. He said that the airplane passed over the runway numbers at an airspeed of approximately 75 knots. He closed the throttle and the airplane floated for an extended period of time. The main landing gear then touched down on the runway surface and the airplane bounced. The pilot held pitch attitude and the airplane touched down on the runway surface again. The right wing then lifted upwards and the airplane veered to the left. The pilot applied brakes and right rudder, and the airplane departed the runway to the left. The airplane then collided with a ditch, collapsing the nose landing gear and causing substantial damage to the firewall.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing and failure to maintain directional control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/25/2008
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1225
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Mesa
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85215
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 332765N
Event Location Longitude 1114342W
Event Location Airport Falcon Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FFZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.25
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1394
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID FFZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1394
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 37
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.94
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23969
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2008 9:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4144P
NTSB Number LAX08CA199
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 2843121
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Jun 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 8711
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Sabena Airline Training Center, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5010 E. Falcon Dr., Suite 201
Aircraft Owner City Mesa
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85215
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code IWA
Departure City Phoenix
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FFZ
Destination City Mesa
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 17 2008 5:22PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22R
Runway Length 3799
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --