Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Willimantic, Connecticut, April 4, 1994
On April 4, 1994 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N30DW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Willimantic, Connecticut (Windham Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The instructor's inadequate supervision and the student's improper landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 1994 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Willimantic, Connecticut · Windham Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N30DW · registry record · serial 28R-7135229
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS TO CONDUCT TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT LOCAL AIRPORTS. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD 74 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT DURING ONE OF THE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS, A HARD LANDING WAS MADE. THE CFI STATED THAT HE DID NOT THINK THAT THE TOUCHDOWN WAS HARD ENOUGH TO DAMAGE THE AIRPLANE. AT THE END OF THE FLIGHT, THE INSTRUCTOR NOTICED THE RIGHT WING WAS DAMAGED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, student
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 3,750 as pilot in command; 2,365 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,319 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1993; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HFD Hartford CT at 1:30 pm
- Destination: HFD CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,278 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:30 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.