Piper PA-28-235 accident near Lafayette, Indiana, February 6, 1993
On February 6, 1993 at about 4:04 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N8784W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lafayette, Indiana (Purdue University 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S DECISION TO INITIATE FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCUMMULATION OF AIRFRAME ICE. THE ICING CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER ADVISORY WERE FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1993 · about 4:04 pm local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Indiana · Purdue University · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N8784W · no longer on the register · serial 28-10330
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUMENT FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR OBTAINED A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING DURING WHICH HE WAS ADVISED THERE WERE REPORTS OF LIGHT RIME ICE. THE PILOTS TOOK OFF FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT TO PRACTICE APPROACHES. BOTH PILOTS REPORTED THEIR APPROACH BACK TO THE AIRPORT APPEARED NORMAL UNTIL THE STUDENT BEGAN TO FLARE. THE AIRPLANE '...JUST SEEMED TO QUIT FLYING AND SANK RAPIDLY TO THE RUNWAY.' THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE AT GROUND IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED ACCUMULATIONS OF ROUGH RIME ICE BETWEEN 1/2 AND ONE INCH THICK ON LEADING EDGES, ETC. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED HE NOTED ICE ACCUMULATING ON THE WINDSHIELD, BUT ADDED HE WAS NOT CONCERNED BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE 'COULD HANDLE LIGHT ICE VERY WELL.' THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THE AIRPLANE STALLED ABOUT 16 MPH FASTER THAN PUBLISHED STALL AIRSPEED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,575 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,354 as pilot in command; 701 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,127 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 1992; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 1, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded at 800 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from LAF, 1 miles away
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.