Piper PA-24-250 accident near Lafayette, Indiana, July 7, 1982
On July 7, 1982 at about 4:07 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8103P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lafayette, Indiana (Purdue University airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1982 · about 4:07 pm local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Indiana · Purdue University
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8103P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3353
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO EXTEND THE GEAR BY USING THE NORMAL (ELECTRICAL) SYSTEM OR THE MANUAL EMERGENCY HANDLE. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE MALFUNCTION, HE ELECTED TO LAND WITH THE GEAR UP.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,815 hours in all; 928 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 1,760 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Indianopolis IN
- Destination: West Lafayette IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 6,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 183°F (84°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:08 am from LAF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N8103P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.