Piper PA-28-140 N91W

Summary

On 7 July 2021 at about 13:31 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N91W, operated by Bethany Aviation, was involved in an accident near Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. One person was 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

7 July 2021 at 13:31

Classification

Accident

Location

Greensboro, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Piedmont Triad Intl (GSO)

Coordinates

36.1013, -79.9411

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N91W

Category

Airplane

Year built

1969

Engines

1

Operator

Bethany Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greensboro → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA21LA285

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot’s improper flare which resulted in abnormal ground contact and loss of control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot was approaching to land at his home airport on a solo flight. The wind was almost directly down the runway at 6 knots. After he turned onto the base leg of the traffic pattern, air traffic control (ATC) inquired if he had turned base. He informed them he had and needed to immediately turn on the final. ATC then asked an airplane to hold position. His approach angle was normal, he was on the centerline, and his airspeed was about 85 mph. As he crossed the threshold of the runway, he reduced the throttle to idle, and the airplane touched down firmly, but did not bounce. When the nosewheel contacted the runway pavement, the airplane began shaking and the airplane began heading towards the right side of the runway. The student pilot attempted to correct, but his corrections started a series of oscillations which grew in amplitude. The airplane then entered the grass next to the runway and he let the airplane continue along its path of travel for fear of flipping the airplane over. The airplane then encountered a drainage ditch and came to rest on the other side of it. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.