Purdue University Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

W. Lafayette, Indiana 47906
Saturday, September 17, 1994 11:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THIS WAS THE STUDENT'S FIRST SOLO. HE STATED THAT DURING HIS FIRST LANDING ATTEMPT THE AIRPLANE FLOATED AND...'HIT KIND OF HARD AND BOUNCE A LITTLE.' HE APPLIED FULL POWER FOR A GO-AROUND AND THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. IT SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH A SMALL HILL AND BECAME AIRBORNE. THE AIRPLANE THEN SKIDDED SIDEWAYS THROUGH THE AIR, AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IT WAS REVEALED THAT SHE DID NOT INSTRUCT THE STUDENT IN RECOVERY FROM BOUNCED LANDINGS OR ABORTED/REJECTED TAKEOFFS. A REVIEW OF THE STUDENT'S LOGBOOK, SCHOOL CURRICULUM, AND APPLICABLE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS REVEALED NO SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT FOR INSTRUCTION IN RECOVERY FROM BOUNCED LANDINGS AND/OR ABORTED TAKEOFFS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER LEVEL-OFF AND RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TRAINING FOR RECOVERY FROM BOUNCED LANDINGS AND/OR ABORTED TAKEOFFS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City W. LAFAYETTE
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47906
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PURDUE UNIVERSITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LAF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 606
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1055 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID LAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 606
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1223
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 20 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 750
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N523PU
NTSB Number CHI94LA335
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 2841188
Certified Max Gross Weight 2332
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 31 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 74
Airframe Hours 4079
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PURDUE UNIVERSITY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1 PURDUE AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City W. LAFAYETTE
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47906
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 4226
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --