Navion Navion G accident near Knox, Indiana, September 20, 2004
On September 20, 2004 at about 1:00 am local time, a Navion Navion G, registered N2453T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Knox, Indiana (Starke County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident were the unsuitable terrain encountered, the dark night conditions, and the ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2004 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Knox, Indiana · Starke County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Navion Navion G · all Navion Gs on the register
- Registration
- N2453T · registry record · serial NAV-4-2453
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with a ditch during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power on an approach. The pilot stated, "I was flying home from a diner in Michigan City. Just as I was approaching [Starke County Airport] it felt like I hit a curb in a car. The plane shifted to the right. The engine [was] quiet. All the engine lights came on, I tried to add power but it was dead. I lowered the gear and focused on flying the plane without power. I did not use flaps thinking I could glide farther. I set her down on her wheels and rolled into the ditch at the end of the field." The sheriff's report stated that two witnesses "saw the plane coming in slow and did not hear the motor running and saw the plane set down in a field and then go into the ditch." Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and local wind was 090 degrees at 03 knots. The pilot reported that there was 35 gallons of fuel left in the airplane. On-scene examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact anomalies. The engine was test run and it produced rated power.
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: 1,323 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,323 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 29, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,099.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 2004; 14.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGC Michigan City IN
- Destination: OXI Knox IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
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.
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 CHI04LA262.