Piper PA-28-140 accident near Martinsville, Indiana, February 23, 2023
On February 23, 2023 at about 4:48 pm local time, a 1970 Piper PA-28-140, registered N1700T, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Martinsville, Indiana (Twelve Oaks Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate weather evaluation and failure to abort the takeoff that resulted in an impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 2023 · about 4:48 pm local time
- Place
- Martinsville, Indiana · Twelve Oaks Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140, built 1970 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N1700T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7125017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted a short field takeoff from a grass airstrip at the time of the accident. During the airplane’s takeoff roll, the passenger, who was seated in the left pilot seat, said that the windsock was “inconsistent.” At an airplane speed of 45-50 mph, the pilot applied control back pressure to ease the airplane into ground effect. The airplane became airborne but quickly settled back onto the runway and became airborne again. The airplane airspeed did not increase and remained at 40 mph. The pilot asked the passenger to continue to read the airspeed indications as the pilot realized that they were running out of remaining runway. The pilot reduced some of the control back pressure and pushed the airplane nose down out of fear of an aerodynamic stall and in hopes of increasing airspeed. The airplane descended and impacted the ground about 100 yds south of the departure runway and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage that included damage to the right wing, aileron, and empennage. The pilot stated there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane that would have precluded normal operations. Recorded weather observations, north and northeast and 15-16 nm from the airport, indicated a quartering tailwind relative to the runway direction prevailed at the time of the accident.
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
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 756 hours in all; 365 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 658 as pilot in command; 276 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 28, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,179 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 12, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,440 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 340 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 2R2 Danville IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,140 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 19 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 am from IND, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 20, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Log | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.