Piper PA 28-180 accident near Valparaiso, Indiana, September 15, 2016
On September 15, 2016 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1969 Piper PA 28-180, registered N3331R, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Valparaiso, Indiana (Porter County Rgnl airport). It was a personal 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 pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2016 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Valparaiso, Indiana · Porter County Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-180 180, built 1969 · all PA 28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3331R · registry record · serial 28-5661
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing touchdown the airplane bounced on the main landing gear then nosed down and the propeller struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Last flight review: September 8, 2016
- Medical certificate: None (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 15, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2A (piston); 6,127 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VPZ Valparaiso IN at 6:00 pm
- Destination: VPZ Valparaiso IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 am from KVPZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N3331R 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.