NTSB CAROL · Event
Event CHI90LA069
Registry · N4372S
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
PIPER PA-28-161
Year of manufacture
1984 · 5 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19840801
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A53FCE
Registrant of record
BELSER MARK
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
FAILURE OF THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE CROSSWIND, THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL INEXPERIENCE, AND THE RUNWAY LIGHTS.
Factual narrative
AFTER A STOP-&-GO LANDING ON RWY 10, THE STUDENT PLT ENTERED TRAFFIC FOR A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING ON RWY 15. HE RPRTD THAT AFTER A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT DECELERATED THRU 30 KTS, THEN BEGAN TO VEER OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE STUDENT SAID HE CORRECTED WITH RIGHT RUDDER, BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED OFF THE LEFT SIDE & STRUCK RWY LIGHTS. IT WAS STOPPED ABOUT 50 FT FROM THE EDGE OF THE RWY. THE RWY HAD A DIRECT CROSSWIND OF ABOUT 6 KTS. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF A PRE-ACDNT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1989_CHI90LA069.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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