# NTSB CHI97LA289: Piper PA-28-140, N6391R, Grant, MI, September 7, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 7, 1997, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Grant, MI - Coordinates: 45.849819, -87.020393 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8498&lon=-87.0204&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 3 minor - Status: Completed, report February 2, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 10699 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI97LA289 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/10699/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA289 ## Probable cause the pilot's fixation on the end of the runway, his failure to place the airplane in an attitude to land (flare) which resulted in a hard landing, and the pilot's failure to recover from the subsequent bounced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - diverted attention, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, landing - recovery from bounced landing - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing ## Analysis The pilot said that he lined up on the runway for landing on runway 09 and 'I was focusing on landing on the end of the runway and was going to touch down near the approach end. I failed to flare at a high enough altitude and struck the ground very hard and bounced back into the air. The plane bounced twice more before stalling and landing on the nose gear. The nose gear broke and the airplane came to rest about half way down the runway.' Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies. ## Factual narrative On September 7, 1997, at 1800 eastern daylight time (edt), a Piper PA-28-140, N6391R, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when on landing the airplane impacted on a sod runway. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. There was no flight plan on file. The pilot and two passengers on board reported minor injuries. The local flight originated at Grant, Michigan, at 1730 edt. In his written statement, the pilot said that he lined up on the runway for landing at Grant Airport, Michigan. "I was focusing on landing on the end of the runway and was going to touch down near the approach end. I failed to flare at a high enough altitude and struck the ground very hard and bounced back into the air. The plane bounced twice more before stalling and landing on the nose gear. The nose gear broke and the airplane came to rest about half way down the runway." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the wreckage found damage to the airplane's forward fuselage and cowling. The engine was pushed upward. The cowling was buckled upward and aft. The nose wheel was broken off of the airplane. The underside of the forward fuselage was crushed inward and aft. The propeller showed torsional bending and chordwise scratches. Flight control continuity was confirmed. No anomalies were found with the engine, controls or other airplane systems. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6391R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6391R), registered now, S/N 28-21568, built 1966 (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: 28-21568 - Airframe hours: 4411 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2A 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: James R. Bandstra - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 2, 1997, 8 hours before - Departed: O1C - Airport: O1C, Grant Airport, runway 9, 2,517 × 120 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 120 total, 40 in this make and model, 85 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 12 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: GRR, 31 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 19970907025749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970907025749A), Sep 7, 1997: Piper PA28140, Grant, MI, Substantial damage. Impacted on sod runway. (.4)the pilot said that he lined up on the runway for landing on runway 09 and 'I was focusing on landing on the end of the runway and… 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.