Piper PA 28-161 accident near Lansing, Illinois, February 8, 2004
On February 8, 2004 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA 28-161, registered N38988, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lansing, Illinois (Lansing Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper flare by the pilot due to his diverted attention during landing. Factors were the pilot's failure to execute a go-around, the overload of the right main landing gear, and the snowbank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 2004 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lansing, Illinois · Lansing Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-161 · all PA 28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N38988 · registry record · serial 28-7716309
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged during a hard landing. The pilot stated that during the landing approach, he noticed another airplane at the holding lines of the runway. He stated that on final approach the other airplane moved. He reported that subsequent to the other airplane's movement, he looked back at the threshold, flared, and "hit the runway hard." After the hard landing, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane struck a snowbank. The pilot reported no mechanical difficulties, and stated that he should have executed a go-around when he saw the other airplane move.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Last flight review: May 13, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-01A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IGQ Lansing IL at 6:00 pm
- Destination: IGQ Lansing IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,002 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from IGQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.