Probable cause
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.
NTSB analysis
The student pilot reported that he was performing a solo training flight in the traffic pattern. During the landing flare, the airplane touched down hard and bounced about 20 ft left of the runway centerline. It subsequently exited the left side of the runway and entered a drainage culvert before it came to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA20CA079 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Oct 19, 2019
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Quakertown, Pennsylvania
- Nearest airport
- Quakertown (UKT)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Piper PA28
- N-number
- N2961W
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1979
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.