Piper PA-28-235 accident near Fulton, Indiana, March 31, 2002
On March 31, 2002 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N9060W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fulton, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to excessive clearance of the connecting rod bearing resulting in engine seizure. A related factor was the muddy field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 2002 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Fulton, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9060W · registry record · serial 28-10655
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight there was a loss of oil pressure resulting in a loss of engine power and seizure of the engine crankshaft. The airplane was damaged during a forced landing into a muddy agricultural field. Post-accident investigation of the engine revealed the number 5 connecting rod bearing had excessive clearance.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,150 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 2,575 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 30, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,490 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2001; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I22 Winchester IN at 9:00 pm
- Destination: GYY Gary IN
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from GUS, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI02LA106.