Piper PA-28RT-201T accident near Janesville, Wisconsin, November 22, 1997
On November 22, 1997 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T, registered N8315S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Janesville, Wisconsin (Rock County 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 dual student's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point, and the instructor's failure to provide adequate supervision of the flight. Factors associated with the accident were: inadequate altitude, the student's diverted attention, the snowbank, and the runway light.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1997 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Janesville, Wisconsin · Rock County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201T PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8315S · registry record · serial 28R-8131044
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While performing a simulated engine failure in the traffic pattern, the flight instructor (CFI) demonstrated the function of the landing gear override to the student, who was also a CFI. While turning final approach, the student lowered the landing gear handle to the down position. When he looked up he noticed the airplane was too low, so he added power. As he was adding power, the right main landing gear contacted a snowbank located 18 inches from the approach end of the runway. The airplane then contacted the edge of the runway and veered to the right where it contacted a runway light.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,430 hours in all; 228 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,364 as pilot in command; 830 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,600 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 16, 1997; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-FB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C81 Grayslake IL at 3:30 pm
- Destination: JVL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 6,701 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:41 pm from JVL
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 N8315S 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.