Accident Review: N716RL - Max Performance Takeoffs

The case study of a fatal accident in San Antonia, Texas provides us with lessons on aeronautical decision making, complacency, aerodynamics, and risk management.

Clips referenced:

Piper Cherokee Overweight in San Antonio

Couple on morning bike ride steps in to help plane crash victims

[chapmanflying]

A few items not mentioned in the video:

1. Density Altitude was 2, 300 for this accident. Not unusual Texas in July.

2. Re: gusts. A common myth is that a gusty tailwind will drop a plane out of the sky. This is false, unless the airplane is very close to the surface. A tailwind gust causes a sudden loss of lift. If you accept the loss of lift, and let the plane descend for a brief moment until the gust is over, everything is fine. The problem happens when pilots react by pitching up to get the lift back, which causes a stall. Pitch discipline is critical for tailwind ops.

[warren]

Very good video. A closely related factor may have been the urge to climb close to the same angle that is hardwired into memory as a normal climb angle. This can cause the pilot to attempt to pitch to a perceived climb angle rather than pitch to the appropriate airspeed. I did a flight at Leadville, CO (nearly 10, 000 elev + density altitude) and the climb angle was unbelievably flat (100-300fpm). Ever since that flight, I would always do some climbouts with students at a reduced power setting that simulated that climb angle to emphasize the importance of maintaining the correct speed during initial climbs and getting used to the flatter climb angle, which is something that may be encountered when there is an engine issue or when a go-around is performed and the flaps fail to retract.

[a_funny_name]

i know this is an old video, but out of curiosity can i ask if there is any reason you were flying on the right side at 2:04 as opposed to the left even though there is no-one there?

[thesuitedsaltshaker]

Love the content, please upload when you can

[Zach-tmzv]

do you plan on making more videos? i loved all of these videos when you made them, thanks

[scottbeyer]

This is a very reasonable analysis. Your theory regarding the tailwind tricking the brain is very interesting and your description of the illusion was helpful. Condolences of course to the surviving families, but PIC was severely negligent. I am dumbfounded that a CFI could display such poor ADM. I fly the PA28-180 and while it likely could meet this mission, I'd never encourage it. So sad.