Piper PA-28-161 accident near Montmorenci, Indiana, April 12, 2024
On April 12, 2024, a 2002 Piper PA-28-161, registered N564PU, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Montmorenci, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s intentional flight into terrain as an act of suicide.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 2024
- Place
- Montmorenci, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161, built 2002 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N564PU · registry record · serial 2842169
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed on a local night flight, conducted four traffic pattern landings, and then climbed to about 4,000 ft mean sea level. About 10 miles from the airport, ADS-B data showed the airplane made numerous turns before data ended. The airplane was located the next day in an agricultural field; it was destroyed by impact forces. Postaccident examination of the wreckage did not identify any anomalies that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane. The pilot left behind two notes suggesting that he was going to commit suicide. Following a death investigation, the county coroner classified the manner of death as a suicide.
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
- Security/criminal event during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Miscellaneous › Intentional act › Suicide › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,662 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,440 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D36 (piston); 7,595 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAF West Lafayette IN at 11:39 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.54 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from KLAF, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLAF 120054Z AUTO 32007KT 10SM BKN100 11/07 A2954 RMK AO2 SLP005 T01060067=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on February 20, 2025. 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 · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 5 | Accident Flight ADS-B Kml | map file · our copy | Download |
| 6 | Accident Flight ADS-B Csv | spreadsheet · our copy | Download |
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.