On October 19, 2019, a Piper PA28 161 operated by PENN FLIGHT SCHOOL LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Quakertown, PA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a drainage culvert. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A student pilot on a solo training flight experienced a hard landing and bounce during flare, causing the aircraft to veer left, exit the runway, and stop in a drainage culvert, resulting in substantial damage.
Accident Overview
A student pilot was conducting a solo training flight in the traffic pattern when the accident occurred. During the landing flare, the airplane touched down hard and bounced approximately 20 feet to the left of the runway centerline. The aircraft then exited the left side of the runway and entered a drainage culvert before coming to a stop.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that the wind was light and variable with no gusts present at the time of the accident.
Aircraft Damage
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. No other damage details were provided.
Investigation
No further information regarding the investigation or probable cause has been released by the authorities.
Contributing factors
Student/instructed pilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintainedLanding flare — Not attained/maintainedEffect on operation
An X-AIR HAWK ultralight crashed in Chonburi, Thailand, killing the pilot and injuring a passenger. The accident was caused by deteriorated wing fabric and…
A Challenger II Special ultralight aircraft (U-B23) landed off-runway at Pai Airport, Mae Hong Son, on September 17, 2024, due to a gust of wind. No injuries…
The Polish aviation safety authority is investigating a serious incident involving an AT-3R100 aircraft that occurred on September 2, 2024. The investigation…
A SZD-48-3 glider suffered damage when its left wing struck a ground obstacle during a low final approach at EPWK on June 20, 2025. The pilot was uninjured.
A 39-year-old skydiver died after a hard landing near Leszno on May 1, 2026. The PKBWL preliminary report indicates the fatal impact resulted from a late,…
A student pilot crashed an SZD-50-3 Puchacz glider into the airfield fence during a solo training flight on June 6, 2026. The pilot was uninjured, but the…