Piper PA-28-181 N4188E

Summary

On 20 March 2001 at about 16:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N4188E was involved in an accident near Gila Bend, Arizona, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 March 2001 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Gila Bend, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Gila Bend Municipal (E63)

Coordinates

32.9581, -112.6781

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N4188E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gila Bend → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX01LA122

Nobody was injured.

Failure of the CFI to properly supervise the flight and the failure of the dual studen to maintain flying airspeed. A contributing factor was the wind shear encountered.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a simulated engine out procedure the airplane landed short of the runway in desert terrain colliding with brush and coming to rest in a ditch. The purpose of the flight was to conduct simulated engine out landings. Both pilots estimated the wind as coming down the runway about 5-10 knots. The student had landed two previous times with no problems noted by him or the CFI. On the third landing the CFI simulated an engine out. When the student entered onto the final leg of the approach he noted that the winds had increased, or were stronger than expected. He informed the CFI that he was not going to add the second notch of flaps because of the increased drag. On short final he estimated that at his current altitude and airspeed, with the given wind condition, he would not be able to make the landing. He called out a go-around, and was instructed to continue the approach. The CFI then added the second notch of flaps. He adjusted his airspeed to compensate for the increased drag and noted that the airplane was rapidly losing altitude. He called out for a go-around and advanced the throttle full forward; however, the airplane continued to sink. The CFI thought they had encountered a wind shear event, from a straight headwind to no wind at all.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.