- Date
- July 14, 1996, 13:50 local (17:50 UTC)
- Place
- Lafeyette, IN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4798FPiper PA-28
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 16, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960714026089A
- Case key
- 10308
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's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Factors related to the accident were the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and the crosswind.
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 pilot cancelled his VFR flight plan due to heavy weather en route and returned to his departure airport. He used full flaps during the landing because he was high on final approach. Just prior to touchdown a gust of wind pushed the airplane off the left side of the runway. The pilot added full power and raised the flaps to 25 degrees to go-around, but was unable to maintain directional control of the airplane. The airplane continued off the left side of the runway where it impacted trees. The pilot reported winds 300 degrees at 13 knots.
Factual narrative
On July 14, 1996, at 1350 eastern daylight time (edt), a Piper PA-28, N4798F, registered to Aretz Flying Service, Inc., of Lafayette, Indiana, and operated by a private pilot, ran off runway 25 (2812' x 50' dry/asphalt) after experiencing a crosswind on touchdown at Aretz Airport, Lafayette, Indiana. The airplane sustained substantial damage when it collided with trees. The pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight departed Lafayette, Indiana, at 1305 edt.
According to the pilot's written statement, the airplane was on a VFR flight plan from Lafayette, Indiana, to Meig's field in Chicago, Illinois. He was advised by flight service of heavy rains along his flight path. The pilot saw the heavy rains and cancelled his flight plan. He decided to return to the Lafayette Airport before the adverse weather moved in. The pilot stated that he used full flaps (40 degrees) on final approach because the airplane was high. The pilot reported that a wind gust pushed the airplane off the left side of the runway just prior to touchdown. He continued to report, "...airspeed was approximately 60 knots at the end of my flare. I gave it full power and lowered one notch of flaps [raised flaps to 25 degrees] but the plane wouldn't climb. The airspeed was so slow that I had no directional control and headed for the trees... ." The airplane flew across a soybean field and impacted a line of trees on the left side of the runway. The pilot reported the winds 300 degrees at 13 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4798F
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7725029
- Airframe hours
- 6,165
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2E, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Aretz Flying Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 29, 1996 · 61 hours before
- Departed
- 3AR
- Destination
- CGX · Chicago, IL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 3AR · Aretz, runway 25, 2,812 × 50 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
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 69 total · 2 in this make and model · 23 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.