This December 2008 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Piper Seneca. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Folkston, Ga. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The flight instructor stated that following an uneventful cross-country flight, his student configured the airplane for landing. On the final approach to the 2,500-foot-long by 50-foot-wide runway, the instructor advised the student that he was low and to add some power.
The student complied, and about the time the airplane reached the runway threshold, the student reduced the power as he flared the airplane. The airplane touched down harder than normal and bounced. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and applied the brakes. The airplane bounced again, and when it touched down the third time, the flight instructor applied the brakes fully in an attempt to stop, but ran out of runway. The airplane went down an embankment and into a ditch. The instructor considered aborting the landing, but did not believe that enough runway remained.
Probable cause: The student’s improper flare and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
For more information: NTSB.gov
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A student attempting to land a Seneca on a 2500 foot runway was already an accident looking for a place to happen – and it found it.