Nogales International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nogales, Arizona 85621
Thursday, December 3, 2009 11:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor said that he was giving an end-of-course stage check to the private licensed student, who was taking a commercial pilot course. The instructor said that the flight was normal and upon returning to the airport he requested to see a short-field landing. They landed in a nose-high attitude and there was "only a slight bump” when the aircraft’s main wheels touched down. Two more landings were performed by the student, which completed the stage check. Four hours later the flight instructor took the same student out for another lesson. The airplane had not been flown during this 4-hour period. During the airplane’s preflight examination, he found a large crack in the left wing's surface immediately above the landing gear attachment point. The flight instructor stated that the student did not make any hard landings during the first flight of the day. The student stated that she did not remember anything unusual about the flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student's improper landing flare and the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/3/2009
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Nogales
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85621
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 312504N
Event Location Longitude 1105052W
Event Location Airport Nogales International
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OLS
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 3955
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1054 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID OLS
Elevation of weather observation facility 3955
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.99
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) 26527
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 8 2010 2:36PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2085T
NTSB Number WPR10CA086
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-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7135029
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 16 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5003
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES E PERRY
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City BISBEE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85603-4162
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Tiffin Aviation Service
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Nogales
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 85621
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code OLS
Departure City Nogales
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code OLS
Destination City Nogales
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 8 2010 2:37PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 7199
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --