Piper PA-38-112 accident near Wellsville, New York, April 20, 1997
On April 20, 1997 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2477K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wellsville, New York (Wellsville Municipal 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 improper flare, improper recovery from a bounced landing, and loss of directional control, during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 1997 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wellsville, New York · Wellsville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2477K · registry record · serial 79-A0657
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
This flight was a combined dual and solo instructional lesson. The student pilot and flight instructor (CFI) did 5 takeoffs and landings before the student continued with his solo flight. According to the student, on his sixth landing the airplane bounced hard, and he initiated a go-around. On his next landing attempt, the airplane bounced hard again, but he continued the landing. The CFI, who was observing the flight from the ground, stated that the airplane bounced, then the student flared too high, causing the airplane to stall. According to the CFI, the left wing hit the ground first followed by the left main gear and the nose gear. The student and CFI stated the airplane veered off the runway to the left and came to rest about 80 to 100 feet left of the runway.
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: 19 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,565 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 23, 1996; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wellsville Flying Service, INC
The flight
- Departed from: ELZ
- Destination: ELZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,900 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.