# NTSB CHI93LA190: Piper PA-28, N2816A, Indianapolis, IN, May 30, 1993

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 30, 1993, 15:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place: Indianapolis, IN
- Coordinates: 39.670993, -86.130622 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6710&lon=-86.1306&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 17, 1994
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 9216
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI93LA190
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9216/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI93LA190

## Probable cause

a misjudged flare and subsequent hard landing by the student pilot.  A factor in the accident was the student pilot's failure to perform a go-around.

## Sequence of events

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

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - weather condition - gusts
  - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - go-around - not performed, pilot in command (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING FLARE, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO BALLOON. SHE SAID THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED HARD ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AND NOSEWHEEL AND BOUNCED INTO THE AIR. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED ON THE RUNWAY SURFACE TWO MORE TIMES BEFORE EXITING THE RUNWAY AND COMING TO REST. THE PILOT SAID THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF SHE HAD PERFORMED A GO-AROUND.

## Factual narrative

On May 30, 1993, about 1540 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28- 161, N2816A, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at the Eagle Creek Airport, Indianapolis, Indiana.  The solo student pilot received no injuries.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight which operated under 14 CFR Part 91.

The pilot related she was attempting to land on runway 21 when a head wind gust caused the airplane to balloon during the landing flare.  The airplane subsequently contacted the runway hard on the main and nosewheel landing gear, bounced into the air and porpoised.  The airplane bounced two more times on the runway surface before it veered off the runway and came to rest.

In the Recommendation section of the NTSB Accident Report that the pilot submitted, she wrote that the accident could have been prevented  by doing a go around.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2816A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2816A-2010-10-06), registration cancelled 2010-10-06, S/N 28-7916442, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28
- 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: 28-7916442
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D3G 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Raf Flight School
- Registered owner: Miller, Reid
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 31, 1993, 120 hours before
- Departed: HUF, TERRE HAUTE, IN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: I14, Eagle Creek, runway 21, 4,200 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 34; student; medical: class 3, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 179 total, 93 in this make and model, 118 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 11 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 15,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: IND, 5 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19930530019729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930530019729A), May 30, 1993: Piper PA28161, Indianapolis, IN, Substantial damage. Wind gust on landing flare. Ballooned. Bounced. Porpoised. Exit runway. Failed to make a timely go around.

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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