Piper PA28 N7951W accident near South Saint Paul, Minnesota

Probable cause

The student pilot’s inadvertent brake application during the touchdown, that resulted in abnormal runway contact and a loss of directional control. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the student pilot during the landing.

NTSB analysis

During the instructional flight, the airplane was landing to the runway with the student pilot operating the flight controls. Upon touchdown, the airplane “swerved hard to the left.” The flight instructor immediately announced, “my controls” and he attempted to maintain directional control. He reported the loss of directional control happened “so fast” and that he was unable to recover the airplane. After the accident, the student pilot reported that he “may have had his feet on the brakes” upon touchdown.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount, with a bend in a truss tube. The flight instructor reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The flight instructor further reported that in the future, he will be having new student pilots announce, “heels on the floor” during the landing flare, to prevent inadvertent brake application.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN25LA171 for the full record.