- Date
- February 6, 1993, 11:04 local (16:04 UTC)
- Place
- Lafayette, IN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8784WPiper PA-28-235
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 25, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930206001859A
- Case key
- 15665
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot-in-command's decision to initiate flight into known icing conditions which resulted in an accummulation of airframe ice. The icing conditions and the pilot's disregard of the weather advisory were factors.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The instrument flight instructor obtained a preflight weather briefing during which he was advised there were reports of light rime ice. The pilots took off for a local flight to practice approaches. Both pilots reported their approach back to the airport appeared normal until the student began to flare. The airplane '...just seemed to quit flying and sank rapidly to the runway.' The right main landing gear separated from the airplane at ground impact. The airplane skidded to a stop on the runway. Post-accident examination revealed accumulations of rough rime ice between 1/2 and one inch thick on leading edges, etc. The instructor reported he noted ice accumulating on the windshield, but added he was not concerned because the airplane 'could handle light ice very well.' The instructor stated the airplane stalled about 16 mph faster than published stall airspeed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8784W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-10330
- Airframe hours
- 3,127
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B4B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Brown, Carol
- Registered owner
- Brown, Carol
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 8, 1992 · 34 hours before
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- LAF · Purdue University, runway 1, 6,500 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,575 total · 31 in this make and model · 1,354 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAF, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8784W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.