Casualties unknown

1992-02-28: Piper PA-38-112 (N26007) — Willshire Aviation — Williamstown, NJ

Williamstown, NJ, US

On February 28, 1992, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration N26007) operated by Willshire Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Williamstown, NJ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout, which resulted in a bounced landing and subsequent off-airport collision. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A student pilot bounced during a supervised solo landing, lost directional control, and struck the ground and a parked aircraft.

What happened

The incident occurred while a student pilot was executing his first supervised solo landing. During the touchdown phase, the aircraft bounced upon contact with the runway surface. Following the bounce, the pilot was unable to maintain directional control of the airplane.

The aircraft veered sharply to the left, departing the paved runway area. It continued off the runway and struck the ground before colliding with a parked airplane in the vicinity. The student pilot had accumulated 14 hours of total flight time, all within the preceding 90 days, and 7 hours within the preceding 30 days.

The investigation

The investigation focused on the immediate circumstances of the landing failure. Examination of the event revealed that the primary issue was the loss of directional control following the bounce. No mechanical failures were cited as contributing factors; the sequence of events was driven by the pilot's handling of the aircraft during the critical landing phase.

Findings

The accident was caused by the student pilot's inability to recover from a bounced landing. The lack of experience in managing the energy state of the aircraft after an improper touchdown led to the loss of control and subsequent collision with the ground and another stationary aircraft.

Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout, which resulted in a bounced landing and subsequent off-airport collision.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001211X14177. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.