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CHI89LA164

1989-07-24 · MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport MWC

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

STUDENT PILOT'S MISJUDGED AIRCRAFT HANDLING DURING THE LANDING FLARE/TOUCHDOWN, AND THE CFI'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE OPERATION. THESE RESULTED IN AN ABRUPT TOUCHDOWN, A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND THE AIRCRAFT'S COLLISION WITH THE VASI LIGHT STRUCTURES.

Factual narrative

DURING A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, WHILE PRACTICING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS IN PREPARATION FOR STUDENT SOLO FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTEDLY FLARED TOO HIGH. THE CFI STATED THAT HE WAITED FOR THE STUDENT TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION, BUT THE STUDENT FAILED TO DO SO, AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE RUNWAY ABRUPTLY. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND SKIDDED INTO A VASI LIGHT STRUCTURE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD APPROXIMATELY 25 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_CHI89LA164.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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