The non-certificated pilot/owner of the Piper PA22-108 was conducting a local test flight with a prospective buyer, who held a private pilot certificate.
After exiting the traffic area at the airport in Lincolnton, N.C., and climbing to an altitude of 1,800′, the owner permitted the prospective buyer to manipulate the flight controls. The pilot then reassumed control of the airplane for the return flight to the departure airport.
According to the prospective buyer, while on final approach to land on runway 5, he noticed that the airplane was yawed to the left and applied right rudder, but the pilot told him to stay off the controls, which he did for the remainder of the flight.
After landing, the airplane veered to the left and departed the left side of the runway where it struck an embankment, and flipped over.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing struts, rudder, aft lower fuselage, firewall, and nose gear assembly.
Both occupants stated there were no pre-impact anomalies with the airplane.
Probable cause: The non-certificated pilot’s loss of directional control while landing.
NTSB Identification: ERA16CA125
This March 2016 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.
Out on a limb, but I’m guessing he didn’t buy the plane
Depending on how the non-certificated person presented himself to the prospective buyer, there should be little exposure to FAA certificate action for the pilot. However the non-certificated person who took it upon himself to act as PIC was way out there. FWIW, a brief search of NTSB-dot-gov turns up several accidents, many fatal, where persons who lost medicals for cognitive deficiencies or other medical issues that have could be linked to cognitive problems… Medical problems the non-certificated individual admitted to. Too bad the owner just didn’t want to spend a $100 and hire a CFI to clinch the sale with a demo flight.
If I’m understanding all this correctly the prospective buyer wasn’t too smart to go flying with a non-certified pilot? Then he was dumber yet to allow the non-certified pilot to dictate not correcting the yaw. Should it come as any surprise that the plane veered to the left off the runway after landing?
Nowhere in the docket or the accident report itself does it say that the non-certificated owner revealed he had neither a medical nor anything resembling either a BFR or even recency of experience. How many of us ask pilots we might fly with to show us their pilot log books, medical certificates, etc before climbing into the cockpit?
That still doesn’t explain why the passenger pilot allowed the non-qualified “pilot”, whether he knew he wasn’t qualified or not, to prevent him from correcting the yaw? If I was with my CFI and I recognized such a problem, I’d take over before I’d allow an accident that might kill us both.
I respectfully disagree with the following:
“Both occupants stated there were no pre-impact anomalies with the airplane.”
The certificated pilot noticed the left yaw while on final approach. Upon landing the plane the plane veered left…
From what I see, there was a problem with the plane that the non-certificated pilot was ignoring.
How do you get a non-certificated pilot…. Does this put the certificated pilot in jeopardy of a certificate action?