Piper PA-28-140 accident near Towanda, Pennsylvania, July 29, 1994
On July 29, 1994 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N43078, was substantially damaged in an accident near Towanda, Pennsylvania (Towanda 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 pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1994 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Towanda, Pennsylvania · Towanda · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N43078 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7425332
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN ABORTED LANDING ATTEMPT, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, '....THE APPROACH APPEARED NORMAL. TOUCHDOWN AT FIRST SEEMED TO BE GOOD, BUT THE (AIRPLANE) BALLOONED BACK UP INTO THE AIR. I INTENDED TO BRING THE WHEELS BACK TO THE RUNWAY BY PUSHING FORWARD ON THE YOKE, BUT THE PLANE BOUNCED AGAIN IN THE AIR. AT THIS POINT, I REALIZED THAT I WAS IN A PORPOISE, AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DO A GO-AROUND. I STARTED TO PUSH THE THROTTLE UP AND PULL BACK ON THE YOKE, BUT MY REACTION WAS TOO SLOW. THE (AIRPLANE) CAME BACK DOWN TO THE RUNWAY, NOSE FIRST.'
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: 46 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 12 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,425 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 15, 1994; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Leader, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MMU Morristown NJ at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 3,030 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N43078 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.