# Accident 19980802019289A: Piper PA28140, Laporte, IN, August 2, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 2, 1998, 13:30 local time
- Place: Laporte, IN
- Airport: Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Touch And Go Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.6006° N, 86.7106° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6006&lon=-86.7106&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8398R, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8398R) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28140
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 27 total, 27 in this make and model, 24 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA289) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980802019289A

## Narrative

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

ACFT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDING WHEN IT STRUCK A RWY MARKER SIGN AND LOST THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR ON TAKEOFF, THE ACFT FLEW FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR BEFORE LANDING. (.19) ON AUGUST 2, 1998, AT 1345 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28-140, N8398R, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN ITS LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLIDED WITH AN AIRPORT RUNWAY MARKING SIGN DURING TAKEOFF FROM A TOUCH AND GO LANDING MANEUVER ON RUNWAY 20 (4,395' X 60' DRY ASPHALT) AT THE LAPORTE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, LAPORTE, INDIANA. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE MAIN SPAR AND FELL FROM THE AIRPLANE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED LAPORTE, INDIANA, EXACT TIME UNKNOWN. (.4)THE STUDENT PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED BEYOND THE RUNWAY'S EDGE DUE TO A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND FROM THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT SIDE.  THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLIDED WITH A RUNWAY MARKING SIGN SHORTLY AFTER THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER FOR A GO AROUND.  THE LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE WING'S MAIN SPAR ATTACH POINT AND FELL TO THE EARTH.  THE PILOT FLEW    THE AIRPLANE FOR ABOUT 1-HOUR AFTER THE ACCIDENT RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT AND LANDING ON HTE SAME RUNWAY HE HAD DEPARTED.

## 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 CHI98LA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA289), Aug 2, 1998: Piper PA-28-140 (N8398R), Laporte, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: was the student pilot s inadequate compensation for the wind conditions he encountered during the landing phase. A factor in this accident was the pilot s lack of total experience.

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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