Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Newport News International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Newport News, Virginia 23602
Saturday, December 15, 2012 14:31 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that he positioned his feet on the toe brake pedals during engine start. After starting, the engine accelerated to a higher rpm than the pilot expected, and the airplane began to roll forward. The pilot pressed down with his feet, but the airplane continued to roll. After reducing the throttle to idle, the pilot attempted to steer the airplane with the rudder pedals, but they were fixed and would not move. As the airplane neared a hangar, the pilot shut down the engine with the fuel mixture control and turned the magneto switch off. The airplane then impacted the hangar, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. Postaccident examination revealed no anomalies with the rudder pedal or toe brake systems. In a postaccident statement, the pilot offered that, rather than placing his feet on the brake pedals, he inadvertently pressed on the torque tube assembly, which is part of the airframe structure located above the toe brake pedals.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to properly monitor the flight controls (toe brake pedals) during engine start.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/15/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1431 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Newport News |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 23602 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 370755N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0762935W |
| Event Location Airport | Newport News International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PHF |
| 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 | 42 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1400 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PHF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 42 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| 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) | 6 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 0 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31039 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Newport News Airport Operation |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 28 2013 4:08PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gots |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3915T |
| NTSB Number | ERA13CA091 |
| 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 | PA28R |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 180 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28R-30251 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2500 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 2 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1133.5 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Rick Aviation, Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Newport News |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 23602 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Rick Aviation, Inc |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Newport News |
| Operator State | VA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 23602 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | PHF |
| Departure City | Newport News |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | PHF |
| Destination City | Newport News |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 11 2013 12:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | vioa |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |