Piper PA-28-140 accident near Anderson, Indiana, August 31, 2010
On August 31, 2010 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N3969K, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Anderson, Indiana (Anderson Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to abort the takeoff due to degraded airplane performance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2010 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anderson, Indiana · Anderson Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N3969K · registry record · serial 28-23853
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was conducting an introductory flight with two passengers. During departure, the airplane did not continue climbing or gain altitude due to the high density altitude. The airplane started to descend and he lowered the nose. The airplane continued to sink and it sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane in reference to the accident flight.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,275 hours in all; 422 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 8,249 as pilot in command; 8,236 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 17, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,802 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 31, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Andair Aircraft Rental And Instruction
The flight
- Departed from: AID Anderson IN
- Destination: AID Anderson IN
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 18, 3,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from AID
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.