Wellsville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wellsville, New York 14895
Sunday, April 20, 1997 17:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

This flight was a combined dual and solo instructional lesson. The student pilot and flight instructor (CFI) did 5 takeoffs and landings before the student continued with his solo flight. According to the student, on his sixth landing the airplane bounced hard, and he initiated a go-around. On his next landing attempt, the airplane bounced hard again, but he continued the landing. The CFI, who was observing the flight from the ground, stated that the airplane bounced, then the student flared too high, causing the airplane to stall. According to the CFI, the left wing hit the ground first followed by the left main gear and the nose gear. The student and CFI stated the airplane veered off the runway to the left and came to rest about 80 to 100 feet left of the runway.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student pilot's improper flare, improper recovery from a bounced landing, and loss of directional control, during the landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/20/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WELLSVILLE
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14895
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WELLSVILLE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ELZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2123
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 12
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2000
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) 981
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 21 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2103
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 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 N2477K
NTSB Number IAD97LA068
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-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 79-A0657
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 23 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 68
Airframe Hours 3565
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WELLSVILLE FLYING SERVICE,INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2600 TARANTINE RD
Aircraft Owner City WELLSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14895
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WELLSVILLE FLYING SERVICE, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2600 TARANTINE ROAD
Operator City WELLSVILLE
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 14895
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 ELZ
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 ELZ
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 28
Runway Length 4900
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --