# NTSB CHI07CA003: Piper PA-28-161, N275ND, Fargo, ND, October 6, 2006

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: October 5, 2006, 22:40 local (Oct 6, 2006, 03:40 UTC)
- Place: Fargo, ND
- Coordinates: 46.920555, -96.815834
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.9206&lon=-96.8158&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 28, 2006
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 64682
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI07CA003
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64682/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI07CA003

## Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate flare which resulted in a hard landing.  Factors associated with the accident were the gusty winds and the pilot's lack of experience.

## Sequence of events

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

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of experience, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor)

## Analysis

The airplane was substantially damaged during a hard night landing.  The private pilot was on a night cross country solo training flight when the accident occurred.  She stated the landing was made on runway 18 with the winds reported as being from 150 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 19 knots.  The pilot stated she encountered light turbulence on final approach and that the airspeed was 80 knots, which is higher than normal.  The pilot stated that during the landing the nose gear and propeller struck the runway prior to the main gear due to the "...inadequate amount of flare... ."  She stated the airplane then bounced twice prior to coming to a stop.  The pilot reported having 87.5 hours of flight time of which 13 hours were as pilot-in-command.

## Factual narrative

The airplane was substantially damaged during a hard night landing.  The private pilot was on a night cross country solo training flight when the accident occurred.  She stated the landing was made on runway 18 with the winds reported as being from 150 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 19 knots.  The pilot stated she encountered light turbulence on final approach and that the airspeed was 80 knots, which is higher than normal.  The pilot stated that during the landing the nose gear and propeller struck the runway prior to the main gear due to the "...inadequate amount of flare... ."  She stated the airplane then bounced twice prior to coming to a stop.  The pilot reported having 87.5 hours of flight time of which 13 hours were as pilot-in-command.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N275ND](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N275ND), registered now, S/N 2842097, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-161
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 2842097
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-D3G reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: University of North Dakota
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: SFD, Sioux Falls, SD
- Destination: FAR, Fargo, ND
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 18; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1; flight hours: 88 total, 88 in this make and model, 13 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night

## 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 20061005022959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061005022959A), Oct 5, 2006: Piper PA28161, Fargo, ND, Substantial damage. (-23) On 10/06/2006 at 2300 CDT, a Piper PA-28-161 aircraft, N275ND, owned by the university of north dakota and piloted by [privacy data omitted] received…

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.

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