NTSB LAX89LA094 — 1989-01-22 · SHOW LOW, Arizona, United States

Current FAA registration · N8162W

Make / Model: PIPER PA-28-180
Year of manufacture: 1965 · 24 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19650329
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S AB2259

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N8162W Piper PA-28-180 None

Probable cause & findings

DELAYED RETRACTION OF FLAPS AND THE INADVERTENT APPLICATION OF LEFT RUDDER DUE TO DIVERSION OF ATTENTION RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE'S DEPARTURE FROM THE RUNWAY. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE INEXPERIENCE OF THE STUDENT PILOT.

Factual narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT SHE HAD SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED HER SECOND TOUCH AND GO LANDING AND WAS BEGINNING HER THIRD TAKEOFF, WHEN SHE REMEMBERED THAT SHE STILL HAD THE AIRPLANE IN A FULL FLAP CONFIGURATION. SHE STATED THAT SHE ADDED POWER TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF AND LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHEN SHE REACHED DOWN TO RETRACT THE FLAPS. THE AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT OF CENTERLINE, DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A DIRT BANK. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT SHE MAY HAVE STEPPED ON THE LEFT RUDDER AS SHE TRIED TO RETRACT THE FLAPS. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE DURING THE ACCIDENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_LAX89LA094.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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