LAX97LA041

Factual narrative

On November 14, 1996, at 1125 hours mountain standard time, a Beech F33A, N1567P, collapsed the landing gear and damaged the wings during a hard landing at the Avra Valley, Arizona airport. The aircraft was owned and operated by Air Transport Training International, Inc., of Tucson, Arizona, and was engaged in a dual primary instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage in the crash. The certificated airline transport pilot flight instructor and the dual primary student were not injured. The flight originated at the Ryan airport, Tucson, on the day of the accident at 1025. In his written statement, the flight instructor reported that following some air work, the flight proceeded to the Avra Valley airport where two touch-and-go landings were accomplished, followed by a full-stop landing. The student taxied the aircraft back for takeoff and the instructor took control to demonstrate procedures for an engine failure during the takeoff initial climb. The instructor stated that following a high performance takeoff, "the airplane climbed to 50 to 100' AGL, at which time I smoothly reduced throttle to idle and lowered nose below level pitch. Airplane began to descend rapidly and I realized that the sink rate was quite large. I applied full throttle and raised nose to attempt to reduce sink. The airplane impacted the ground in approx. level attitude, the nose gear collapsed and the plane slid to a stop in approximately a few hundred feet." The temperature at the time the accident occurred was 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Based upon this temperature and the estimated pressure altitude, the density altitude was calculated to be 3,892 feet msl. The flight instructor reported that following some air work, the flight proceeded to the Avra Valley Airport where two touch-and-go landings were accomplished, followed by a full stop landing. The student taxied the aircraft back for takeoff, and the instructor took control to demonstrate procedures for an engine failure during the takeoff initial climb. The instructor stated that following a high performance takeoff, 'the airplane climbed to 50 to 100' AGL, at which time I smoothly reduced throttle to idle and lowered nose below level pitch. Airplane began to descend rapidly and I realized that the sink rate was quite large. I applied full throttle and raised nose to attempt to reduce sink. The airplane impacted the ground in approx. level attitude, the nose gear collapsed and the plane slid to a stop in approximately a few hundred feet.' The temperature was reported to be 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Based upon this temperature and the estimated pressure altitude, the density altitude was calculated to be 3,892 feet. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12