Piper PA-28-181 accident near Buffalo, New York, September 22, 1994
On September 22, 1994 at about 2:45 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N3024M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buffalo, New York (Buffalo International 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing. A factor is the pilot's improper landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1994 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Buffalo, New York · Buffalo International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N3024M · registry record · serial 287890286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing on runway 32, the airplane bounced twice, during which, and unbeknown to the pilot, the propeller struck the runway. The pilot aborted the landing, returned to the airport, and landed without incident. Later, after he shutdown the engine, ground personnel informed him that the airplane was damaged. The pilot in retrospect reported, 'It seems likely that my hands were forced forward somewhat on the yoke and throttle on the jolt of the first bounce. This may have amplified the second bounce which is when the propeller strike probably happened.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 84 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 33 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,651 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 2, 1994; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ROC Rochester NY at 2:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,373 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.