Waco CTO accident near Greenfield, Indiana, October 7, 2003
On October 7, 2003 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Waco CTO, registered N9577H, was destroyed in an accident near Greenfield, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power during cruise and subsequent fire for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 2003 · about 11:30 pm local time · cases in 2003
- Place
- Greenfield, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco CTO · all CTOs on the register
- Registration
- N9577H · registry record · serial A-47
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane made a forced landing in a soybean field after a loss of engine power. A post landing fire destroyed the airplane. The pilot stated the engine started to "sputter/cough" and lose power after approximately 4 minutes and 5 miles from the airport. The pilot reported that he tried to restart the engine by cycling through the magnetos, throttle, and mixture as well as check the fuel valve position. The pilot stated he was unsuccessful in restarting the engine. The pilot reported that subsequent to the landing the airplane became engulfed in flames. Examination of the airplane 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
- Flight time: 675 hours in all; 505 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 625 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 21, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 505 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2003; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R760-8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GFD Greenfield IN at 11:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from GEZ
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 N9577H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9577H on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Waco CTO 17 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Waco 657 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Wright R760-8 17 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Pope Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Indiana 1,367 since 1982 · 179 in the last ten years
- Indiana 5,705 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N9577H 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI04LA005.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.