- Date
- July 7, 1995, 17:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Culver, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N632FLPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 29, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950707017239A
- Case key
- 9936
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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane, while performing a go-around. A factor relating to the accident was: the proximity of trees beside the runway.
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
This was the student pilot's first solo flight. The student reported his approach to landing was normal, but the airplane was a little high. Realizing there was an insufficient amount of runway remaining to make a normal landing, the student pilot decided to perform a go-around. A witness stated the airplane was in an excessively nose high attitude as the student added full power. The airplane began to climb and drift to the left as the student corrected the airplane's attitude. As the go-around was continued, the left main landing gear tire and wing contacted a tree beside the runway, and the airplane impacted the ground.
Factual narrative
On July 7, 1995, at 1745 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28- 140, N632FL, operated by Culver Military Academy of Culver, Indiana, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees while preforming a go around at Fleet Field Airport, Culver, Indiana. The solo student pilot was not injured. The local 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated without a flight plan in visual meteorological conditions.
This flight was the student pilot's first solo flight. The student reported his approach to landing was normal but the airplane was a little high. Realizing there was an insufficient amount of runway remaining to make a normal landing, the student pilot decided to perform a go around. The student's instructor, who was witnessing the event, stated the airplane was in an excessively nose high attitude as the student pilot added full power. The airplane began to climb and drift to the left as the student corrected the airplane's attitude. As the airplane continued to climb, the left main landing gear tire and wing contacted a tree and the airplane impacted the ground.
Prior to this flight, the student pilot had completed a training flight with the Culver Military Academy's Director of Aviation in preparation for his solo flight. During this flight the student was asked to demonstrate a go around. The Director stated that the student performed the go around maneuver "flawlessly." Upon completion of this flight, the student pilot was authorized for solo flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N632FL
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7125528
- Airframe hours
- 7,799
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Culver Military Academy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 22, 1995 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- IN73
- Airport
- IN73 · Fleet Field, runway 34, 2,400 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 18
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 35 total · 35 in this make and model · 7 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.