Piper PA-28-161 accident near Lafayette, Indiana, April 4, 1998
On April 4, 1998 at about 6:49 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N537PU, 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; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the student pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the gusty wind conditions during landing. A factor was the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 1998 · about 6:49 pm local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Indiana · Purdue University · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N537PU · no longer on the register · serial 2841344
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported he made one landing followed by a go-around. On the third landing, while at an altitude of 2 to 4 feet agl, the airplane landed 'harder than usual' with the nose gear contacting the runway followed by the main gear. The nose gear collapsed when it contacted the runway and the airplane veered off the side of the runway into the grass. The landing was made on runway 5, with the pilot reporting the winds from 040 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 21 knots.
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: student
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,232 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 4, 1998; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAF at 6:30 pm
- Destination: LAF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 4,226 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 14 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.