# NTSB FTW96LA283: Piper PA-28-180, N7859W, Tulsa, OK, June 29, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 29, 1996, 08:55 local (13:55 UTC) - Place: Tulsa, OK - Coordinates: 36.100082, -95.889961 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1001&lon=-95.8900&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 19, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19889 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW96LA283 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19889/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA283 ## Probable cause The student pilot's improper flare during the landing, which resulted in a collapsed nose gear, ground swerve, and collision with an object. ## 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) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - landing gear,nose gear - overload - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - directional control - not possible - ground loop/swerve - uncontrolled - On ground/water collision with object, landing ## Analysis The student pilot was on a local solo flight, practicing landings. During his third touch-and-go landing, the airplane touched down hard, and the nose gear collapsed. Control was lost and the airplane veered off the runway. The underside of the left wing impacted an object, resulting in structural damage. The student stated that the loss of control was the result of a collapsed nose gear strut. ## Factual narrative On June 29, 1996, at 0855 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N7859W, registered to a private owner and operated by Pro Flight of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was substantially damaged while landing near Tulsa, Oklahoma. The solo student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated about 30 minutes before the accident. According to the operator, the student pilot had been cleared by his flight instructor to practice touch and go landings in the traffic pattern at the Richard Lloyd Jones Airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The student pilot completed two uneventful touch and go landings on runway 19R. On the third landing, the airplane landed hard, collapsing the nose landing gear. Control was lost and the airplane veered off the runway. While regaining control, the airplane struck an object with the underside of the left wing. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed structural damage to the main spar on the left wing. On the enclosed Pilot/Operator Report, the pilot stated that the "nose strut collapsed causing the aircraft to abnormally nose down and dart to the left veering off the runway." The pilot denied that the aircraft had landed hard on his third and final landing. Examination of the nose landing gear strut by the operator did not disclose any defects or anomalies that could have contributed to its collapse. The strut was serviced and released for flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: N7859W (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-180 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-1880 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: H.W. Shaw - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: RVS - Airport: RVS, Richard Lloyd Jones, runway 19R, 5,101 × 100 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 43 total, 23 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 4 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: RVS, 1 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 19960629019889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960629019889A), Jun 29, 1996: Piper PA28180, Tulsa, OK, Substantial damage. Landed hard. Collapsed nose gear. Veered off runway. Struck object trying to regain control. Damaged wing spar. (-23) the student pilot was making a touch 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.