Greenwood Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenwood, Indiana 46146
Wednesday, September 17, 1997 18:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot reported that while on final approach, she added a second notch of flaps. She then reduced power as she felt her altitude was too high. Shortly thereafter, she initiated a go-around as she felt her altitude was too low. During the go-around, she decreased the flap setting to zero. A witness, her flight instructor, reported the nose of the airplane then pitched up, and the left wing dropped. The airplane turned 90 to 120 degrees to the left as the main gear contacted the terrain. The airplane then slid sideways and came to rest in the grass between the runway and taxiway. The accident occurred on the student pilot's first solo flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the go-around, which resulted in an inadvertant stall. A factor related to the accident was the raising of flaps.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1997
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1850
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GREENWOOD
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46146
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GREENWOOD MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HFY
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 830
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1856 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID IND
Elevation of weather observation facility 797
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 21000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 14000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 693
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 17 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2104
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N43DR
NTSB Number CHI97LA295
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 38-82A0016
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 20 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name INDIANA AIRCRAFT SERVICE, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address GREENWOOD AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City GREENWOOD
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46146
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GREENWOOD AIRCRAFT SERVICES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 799 E. COUNTY LINE RD.
Operator City GREENWOOD
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 46143
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 HFY
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1840
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code HFY
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Go-around (VFR)
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 1
Runway Length 4300
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --