Piper PA-34-200 N98FM

Summary

On 31 August 1999 at about 23:22 local time, a Piper PA-34-200 registered N98FM was involved in an accident near Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 August 1999 at 23:22

Classification

Accident

Location

Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Plymouth Municipal Arpt (PYM)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-34-200

Registration

N98FM

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Norwood → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC99FA216

1 person died.

The flight instructor's inadequate remedial action, and the pilot-under-instruction's panic and subsequent interference with the flight controls.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot-under-instruction (PUI) was in the left seat, and the flight instructor was in the right seat for the multi-engine instructional flight. The PUI was performing a simulated engine-out approach, with the right engine set at zero thrust. On short final, the airplane's airspeed began to bleed off. The instructor told the PUI to add power, which he did, but because of insufficient rudder input, the airplane drifted to the right. The instructor announced he was taking control of the airplane, then took control of it, and the PUI relinquished control. Due to the low altitude, and with the airplane stabilized, the instructor decided to land the airplane in the grass next to the runway. However, the PUI grabbed the yoke, pulled back on it, and started screaming. Both pilots struggled for control, as the airplane went below minimum control airspeed, then struck the ground in a high right-angle of bank. Prior to the accident flight, the instructor had called an examiner to cancel the PUI's upcoming check ride. At that time, the instructor had characterized the PUI, when flying, as unpredictable, and someone who would 'do unusual things on his own.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.