Piper PA28 accident near Louisville, Kentucky, December 10, 2019
On December 10, 2019 at about 6:03 pm local time, a 1965 Piper PA28, registered N9097W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Louisville, Kentucky (Bowman Field 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper flare to land, which resulted in a hard landing and the nose landing gear collapsing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 2019 · about 6:03 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · Bowman Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 235, built 1965 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N9097W · registry record · serial 28-10707
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was on the return leg of a two-leg flight. While on final approach of the airport traffic pattern for runway 24 with the reported wind from 280° at 7 knots, the pilot descended using the visual approach slope indicator for reference with no "irregular indications of plane operation." He continued the approach maintaining 85 knots to the threshold, then, after crossing the threshold, he began to slow to 70 knots. When in ground effect with no stall speed annunciation, the flaps set to 25°, and pitch trim set to neutral, he began to flare the airplane, when suddenly the nose “jerked down” and he was unable to physically manipulate the control yoke. The airplane impacted the runway causing collapse of the nose landing gear and down displacement of the right wing, consistent with a hard landing. Based on automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data, the average calculated groundspeed was 81 knots for the last 30 seconds of the flight, which was well above the published stall speed with flaps extended. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed impact damage to the lower portion of the control column which caused binding of the stabilator flight control system with a flight instrument. Although the stabilator flight control cable tension was 2 pounds less than the specified value, that likely would not have resulted in an uncommanded nose-down pitch. Despite the pilot’s claim that he was unable to manipulate the control yoke, no pre-impact anomalies were noted during the examination that would have contributed to a hard landing. The accident is consistent with the pilot improperly flaring the airplane, which resulted in a hard landing.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,877 hours in all; 361 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,551 as pilot in command; 291 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 30, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,828 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 2019; 170 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BWG Bowling Green KY at 5:13 pm
- Destination: LOU Louisville KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,358 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KLOU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA20LA053.