Rock County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Janesville, Wisconsin 53545
Saturday, November 22, 1997 11:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While performing a simulated engine failure in the traffic pattern, the flight instructor (CFI) demonstrated the function of the landing gear override to the student, who was also a CFI. While turning final approach, the student lowered the landing gear handle to the down position. When he looked up he noticed the airplane was too low, so he added power. As he was adding power, the right main landing gear contacted a snowbank located 18 inches from the approach end of the runway. The airplane then contacted the edge of the runway and veered to the right where it contacted a runway light.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the dual student's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point, and the instructor's failure to provide adequate supervision of the flight. Factors associated with the accident were: inadequate altitude, the student's diverted attention, the snowbank, and the runway light.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/22/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City JANESVILLE
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53545
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ROCK COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JVL
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 808
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1041 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID JVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 808
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1300
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 642
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 22 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1354
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8315S
NTSB Number CHI98LA043
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-28RT-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28RT-20
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-8131044
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 16 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 92
Airframe Hours 5600
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CARDINAL AIRCRAFT SERVICE, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address CAMPBELL AIRPORT BOX 324
Aircraft Owner City GRAYSLAKE
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60030
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code C81
Departure City GRAYSLAKE
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code JVL
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 6701
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --