Piper PA28-181 accident near Greensburg, Indiana, December 13, 2002
On December 13, 2002 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Piper PA28-181, registered N793MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greensburg, Indiana (Greensburg-Decatur County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll. Contributing factors included inadequate planning/decision by the pilot for attempting to depart from the slush covered runway, the slush covered runway itself, and the falling snow.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 2002 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Greensburg, Indiana · Greensburg-Decatur County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-181 · all PA28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N793MA · no longer on the register · serial 2843193
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged when it departed the runway surface while attempting to takeoff. It came to rest in a plowed field adjacent to the airport. In his statement, the pilot reported: "As I started to lift off, suddenly the plane skid" and started to go toward the side of the runway. He went on to note that to avoid a collision, " I turned the plane to the west and tried to reduce speed, but the plane was out of control... ." The airport manager, who witnessed the accident aircraft attempting to takeoff, stated: "It was snowing fairly heavy, with a couple of inches of slush on the runway". He reported that it was almost a "white out" condition, and estimated visibility as approximately 1/4 mile. The pilot stated that there were no abnormalities with the controls, and no malfunctions with the aircraft. A post-accident examination also revealed no anomalies.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 610 hours in all; 566 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 610 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 20, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2002; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-36O Series (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I34 Greensburg IN at 11:35 pm
- Destination: GGP Logansport IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 3,433 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.64 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from BAK, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N793MA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.