# Incident 20200830014029I: Piper PA-28-161, Pontiac, IL, August 30, 2020

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 30, 2020, 08:10 local time
- Place: Pontiac, IL
- Airport: Pontiac Municipal
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.9244° N, 88.6239° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at PONTIAC MUNI (PNT), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9244&lon=-88.6239&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3574C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3574C) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 15 total, 15 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200830014029I

## Narrative

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

WHILE ON FIRST SOLO PATTERN FLIGHT AT PONTIAC MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KPNT), THE STUDENT PILOT EXPERIENCED HARD LANDING ON 3RD AND FINAL INTENDED LANDING RUNWAY 24. THE PILOT EXPLAINED THAT HE NOTICED HIS VERTICAL DESCENT RATE WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL AND HE TRIED TO ARREST DESCENT WITH MORE BACKPRESSURE ON THE YOKE. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT STILL CONTACTED THE GROUND HARD AND BOUNCED WHILE DRIFTING RIGHT OF THE CENTERLINE. IN EFFORTS TO RECOVER FROM THE BOUNCE AND DRIFT, THE PILOT EXPLAINED THAT HE ADDED TOO MUCH LEFT RUDDER CAUSING A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND EXIT FROM THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT ON A HEADING OF APPROX. 140 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT THEN PROCEEDED DOWN HILL IN  WET GRASS AND HIT  ROW OF HIGH CORN AND TERRAIN CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFTS WING AND SHEARING OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY.

## Other reports on N3574C (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20240511005632I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240511005632I), May 11, 2024: Piper PA-28-161 (N3574C), Olathe, KS, Minor damage. While taxing to runup area, the A75/G pilot inadvertently collided with Piper PA-28-161, [privacy data omitted], which was performing a runup on the taxiway.…

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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