# NTSB CHI96LA283: Piper PA-28-140, N44245, Rensselaer, IN, August 7, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 7, 1996, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC) - Place: Rensselaer, IN - Coordinates: 40.930416, -87.139564 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9304&lon=-87.1396&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 23, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 10350 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI96LA283 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/10350/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA283 ## Probable cause the student pilot's improper flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that she reduced the engine power and started the landing flare. Also, she reported that the landing flare was initiated too early and 'the plane hit and bounced onto the runway really hard.' The pilot applied power to recover after the first bounce; however, the airplane bounced two additional times. Subsequently, it came to rest in grass with substantial damage. ## Factual narrative On August 7, 1996, at 1100 central daylight time (cdt), a Piper PA-28-140, N44245, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at the Jasper County Airport, Rensselaer, Indiana. The student pilot was on a solo cross country flight from Kokomo, Indiana, and was not injured in the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions, and no flight plan had been flied. The pilot reported on NTSB Form 6120.1/2 that before landing, she reduced the engine power, and started the landing flare. The pilot reported that the landing flare was initiated too early, and "the plane hit and bounced onto the runway really hard." The pilot reported that after the first bounce she applied power to recover from the bounced landing; however, the airplane bounced two more times. The airplane went off the runway and stopped in the grass. No mechanical malfunctions with the airplane or engine were reported by the pilot. The airplane's wing skins were buckled behind the main landing gear struts. The engine mount, nose gear strut and firewall were bent. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N44245](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N44245), registered now, S/N 28-7425397, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-140 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7425397 - Airframe hours: 5272 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E3D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Free Spirit Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 2, 1996, 70 hours before - Departed: OKK, KOKOMO, IN - Destination: RZL - Airport: RZL, Jasper County, runway 18, 4,001 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; student; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 36 total, 11 in this make and model, 19 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 5 knots - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F ## 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 19960807029789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960807029789A), Aug 7, 1996: Piper PA28140, Rensslaer, IN, Substantial damage. Bounced on hard landing. Stopped off runway. Returned to base. Prop, nose gear, fire wall damaged. Wings wrinkled. (-23) on August 7, 1996, at 1100 CDT, a… ## Other investigations on N44245 (2) 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. - [NTSB WPR21LA301](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA301), Aug 2, 2021: Piper PA-28-140 (N44245), Amado, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inflight separation of a section of a propeller blade due to a fatigue crack, which resulted in a forced landing. - [NTSB CHI80FET22](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI80FET22), Jul 23, 1980: Piper PA-28 (N44245), Peru, IN, substantial damage 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.