# NTSB BFO94LA065: Piper PA-28R-200, N30DW, Willimantic, CT, April 4, 1994

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 4, 1994, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place: Willimantic, CT
- Location: 41.7440° N, 72.1802° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at WINDHAM (IJD), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7440&lon=-72.1802&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 9, 1995
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 8909
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO94LA065
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/8909/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO94LA065

## Probable cause

The instructor's inadequate supervision and the student's improper landing flare.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - improper, dual student (cause)
  - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)

## Analysis

THE PURPOSE OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS TO CONDUCT TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT LOCAL AIRPORTS.  THE STUDENT PILOT HAD 74 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME.  THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT DURING ONE OF THE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS, A HARD LANDING WAS MADE.  THE CFI STATED THAT HE DID NOT THINK THAT THE TOUCHDOWN WAS HARD ENOUGH TO DAMAGE THE AIRPLANE.  AT THE END OF THE FLIGHT, THE INSTRUCTOR  NOTICED THE RIGHT WING WAS DAMAGED.

## Factual narrative

On April 4, 1994, about 1030 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-200, N30DW, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at the Windham Airport, Willimantic, Connecticut.  The certified flight instructor and his dual student were not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.  The local instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The certified flight instructor reported that he and his student were practicing touch and go landings at several airports within the local flying area.  He said a hard landing occurred at the Windham Airport, but he did not think the airplane sustained substantial damage.  The certified flight instructor stated that upon termination of the flight, he noticed the airplane had sustained damaged and reported it to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

An inspection of the airplane by a FAA Safety Inspector revealed the airplane's wings, wheel wells, and "bottom false spar cap" sustained damaged.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N30DW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N30DW), registered now, S/N 28R-7135229, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28R-200
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (registry code 7102811) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28R-7135229
- Airframe hours: 3319
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-C1C 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Phillip Baribault
- Registered owner: Philip Baribault
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport; Standard, Normal; Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, December 1, 1993, 39 hours before
- Departed: HFD, HARTFORD, CT
- Destination: HFD, CT
- Airport: IJD, Windham Airport, runway 27, 4,278 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 49; airline transport, student, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 4,000 total, 50 in this make and model, 3,750 as pilot in command, 75 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 61 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19940404007899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940404007899A), Apr 4, 1994: Piper PA28R200, Willimantic, CT, Substantial damage. Student made hard landing CFI failed check for damage. Flew back to home base. Wings wheel wells and spar damaged.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.