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LAX87LA313

1987-08-22 · BUCKEYE, Arizona, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport BXK

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

A PIPER PA-38-112 LANDED HARD ON THE RUNWAY WHILE ON A VFR TRAINING FLIGHT. THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) INDICATED THAT THE STUDENT PILOT MADE AN ABRUPT AFT YOKE (UP ELEVATOR) APPLICATION DURING THE LANDING FLARE. THE AIRCRAFT BALLOONED APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS AND ATTEMPTED TO DEMONSTRATE 'THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL SENSITIVE TO CONTROL INPUTS.' THE CFI THEN REALIZED HE WAS TOO HIGH AND FELT THE AIRCRAFT START TO SINK. HE ADDED FULL POWER TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND AND LANDED HARD RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1987_LAX87LA313.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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