Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Auburn, Indiana, July 27, 1997
On July 27, 1997 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N5027T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Auburn, Indiana (De Kalb County 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
an improper flare by either this pilot or the pilot of a previous flight, which resulted in a hard landing and overload damage to the right main landing gear. The pilot's continued operation with a known deficiency may have been a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 1997 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, Indiana · De Kalb County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N5027T · registry record · serial 28R7235177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a round-robin flight, the pilot experienced an unsafe gear problem after take off, but continued on to the next airport. During (a 2nd) climb out, he again experienced gear problems. After resolving the problem by cycling the gear several times en route, the pilot made two additional landings. The pilot flew the airplane the next day and reported two gear problems, but continued to conduct four touch and go landings. The fixed base operator, who informed the FAA, discovered the damage. The hobbs and the tach time matched this pilot's check out times. Examination of the airplane revealed, overload damage to the right main landing gear.
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: 108 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 60 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,768 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1997; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASW Warsaw IN
- Destination: 07C
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,652 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from FWA, 20 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.