Piper PA-28-181 accident near Lafayette, Indiana, February 5, 1995
On February 5, 1995 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N38394, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lafayette, Indiana (Aretz 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 pilot's failure to perform a go-around. The gusty crosswind was a factor in the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 1995 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Indiana · Aretz Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N38394 · registry record · serial 28-7790548
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE PLANNED TO USE 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS AND A HIGHER THAN NORMAL APPROACH SPEED DUE TO A GUSTY CROSSWIND. HE REPORTED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 100 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE PILOT REPORTED 104 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME, INCLUDING 6 HOURS IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE.
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
- Flight time: 104 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 53 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,617 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 13, 1995; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BMG Bloomington IN at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 2,812 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from LAF, 7 miles away
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.
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.