CHI97LA295

Factual narrative

On September 17, 1997, at 1850 central daylight time, a Piper PA- 38-112, N43DR, operated by a student pilot, collided with the terrain while executing a go-around at the Greenwood Municipal Airport, Greenwood, Indiana, while on a solo training flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The local flight originated at 1840 cdt. The student pilot departed on runway 01. She reported that she made a left traffic pattern to return to runway 01 for a landing. The pilot reported that on base leg she added one notch of flaps followed by the turn to final approach. Once established on final approach she added the next notch of flaps. She reported that her altitude seemed high so she "decreased throttle slightly." She reported that her altitude then seemed low so she elected to execute a go-around during which she retracted the flaps to zero. According to her flight instructor, who witnessed the accident, the nose of the airplane then pitched up and the airplane yawed to the left. He reported that the left wing dropped and the airplane rotated 90 to 120 degrees to the left as the main landing gear contacted the ground. The airplane then skidded sideways coming to rest in the grass between the runway and the taxiway. The accident occurred during the student pilot's first solo flight. The student pilot reported that while on final approach, she added a second notch of flaps. She then reduced power as she felt her altitude was too high. Shortly thereafter, she initiated a go-around as she felt her altitude was too low. During the go-around, she decreased the flap setting to zero. A witness, her flight instructor, reported the nose of the airplane then pitched up, and the left wing dropped. The airplane turned 90 to 120 degrees to the left as the main gear contacted the terrain. The airplane then slid sideways and came to rest in the grass between the runway and taxiway. The accident occurred on the student pilot's first solo flight. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12