Piper PA-28R-201 accident near Lafayette, Indiana, May 9, 1996
On May 9, 1996 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201, registered N9816C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lafayette, Indiana (Aretz 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
the flight instructor's inadequate supervision and the dual student's failure to extend the landing gear. Factors were the distraction of the flight instructor and the student's failure to use checklist procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1996 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Indiana · Aretz · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N9816C · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7837222
- 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 she was sitting in the left seat observing the student, who was also a commercial rated pilot, flying from the right seat. The instructor reported that the student put the flaps down to 10 degrees on downwind and she was 'surprised.' He then put the gear down. She asked him why he had lowered the flaps prior to the gear. He responded that he had been taught to wait until descent to lower the gear. Turning final, she checked the flap handle, checked the gear lights, and noticed that the red warning light was off. She reported that she heard the gear warning horn during the landing flare and the next thing she remembered was 'stopping and staring at the bent prop. The student reported that he had performed a 'mental GUMPS check' and was 'distracted.' Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact malfunction.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,273 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,190 as pilot in command; 954 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,765 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 1996; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3AR at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,812 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N9816C 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.