# Accident 19980404016059A: Piper PA28161, Lafayette, IN, April 4, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 4, 1998, 13:49 local time
- Place: Lafayette, IN
- Airport: Purdue University
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.4407° N, 86.9095° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4407&lon=-86.9095&mi=10
- Aircraft: N537PU, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N537PU-2000-11-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28161
- Reported engine: LYC O320D3G
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 15 total, 15 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA115) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980404016059A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL LANDING IN STRONG GUSTY WINDS. TOO MUCH WIND FOR A SOLO STUDENT. (.4)THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED HE MADE ONE LANDING FOLLOWED BY A GO-AROUND.  ON THE THIRD LANDING, WHILE AT AN ALTITUDE OF 2 TO 4 FEET AGL, THE AIRPLANE LANDED 'HARDER THAN USUAL' WITH THE NOSE GEAR CONTACTING THE RUNWAY FOLLOWED BY THE MAIN GEAR.  THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED WHEN IT CONTACTED THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS.  THE LANDING WAS MADE ON RUNWAY 5, WITH THE PILOT REPORTING THE WINDS FROM 040 DEGREES AT 14 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 21 KNOTS.                                    (-23) ON APRIL 4, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 1349 PM EST, A PIPER PA-28-161, N537PU MADE A HARD LANDING AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY AIRPORT, WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA.  THE PILOT HELD A STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE AND WAS ON HIS THIRD SOLO TRAINING FLIGHT.  ON THE PILOT'S SECOND APPROACH TO RUNWAY FIVE, HE ENCOUNTERED VARIABLE WINDS WITH SOME GUSTS AND MADE A GO-AROUND. DURING THE THIRD APPROACH THE PILOT ALLOWED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO DROP SUDDENLY AND STRIKE THE GROUND FIRST.  THE MAIN WHEELS THEN CAME DOWN AND THE AIRCRAFT COU                                                            ULD NOT BE STEERED BY THE RUDDER PEDALS. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT THE RUNWAY GOING INTO THE GRASS SHOULDER.  IT CAME TO REST NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAY FIVE AND TEN.  THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, NOSE GEAR, ENGINE, AND ENGINE FIRE WALL.  THE STUDENT PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, WAS NOT INJURED.  THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS A FEW CLOUDS AT 3,700 FEET, WITH BETTER THAN 10 SM VISIBILITY, AND THE WIND OUT OF 020 DEGREES AT 14 KNOTS, WITH GUSTS UP TO 21 KNOTS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI98LA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA115), Apr 4, 1998: Piper PA-28-161 (N537PU), Lafayette, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: the student pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the gusty wind conditions during landing. A factor was the gusty wind conditions.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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