Piper PA-28-181 accident near Jeffersonville, Indiana, August 3, 2021
On August 3, 2021 at about 3:15 pm local time, a 2014 Piper PA-28-181, registered N728A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Jeffersonville, Indiana (Clark Rgnl 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
A loss of directional control due to failure of the landing gear attachment hardware for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2021 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Jeffersonville, Indiana · Clark Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181, built 2014 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N728A · registry record · serial 2843791
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, while performing takeoff and landing practice, the airplane touched down normally, then began drifting to the right, and both he and the student pilot attempted to correct without success. The airplane continued off the right side of the runway, and the right main landing gear impacted a runway light and separated from the airplane. The runway light was mounted on a concrete base that protruded from the ground about 1 inch and the stanchion, which was a small pipe, broke at the threads at its base. Based on these observations, the runway light should not have resulted in complete separation of the landing gear. Examination of remnants of three of the eight bolts that secured the landing gear to the wing spar revealed fracture features consistent with overstress. The five remaining bolts were not recovered, and their failure mode could not be determined. The circumstances of the accident were consistent with a loss of directional control due to the failure of the right main landing gear attachment hardware for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. The airplane manufacturer relayed information regarding landing gear collapses on similar model airplanes, including one landing gear separation, due to fatigue and corrosion of the landing gear mounting hardware. About 7 months after this accident, the manufacturer issued a service bulletin requiring replacement of landing gear attachment hardware on various models, including the accident airplane model.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 405 hours in all; 204 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 329 as pilot in command; 136 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 12, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,544.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 17, 2021; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 4,036 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 7,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KLOU, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KLOU 031453Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 25/15 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP180 T02500150 50002=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on November 30, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Additional Pilot Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Piper SB1375 | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Materials Lab Parts Return Form | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.