Piper PA-28-160 accident near Knox, Indiana, August 21, 1982
On August 21, 1982 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-160, registered N5796W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Knox, 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1982 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Knox, Indiana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-160 · all PA-28-160s on the register
- Registration
- N5796W · no longer on the register · serial 28-1736
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A FLIGHT FROM LAKE VILLAGE TO KNOX, IN. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE LANDED TO REFUEL AT RENSSELAER, IN. DURING THE FLIGHT FROM RENSSELAER TO KNOX, THE ENGINE BEGAN LOOSING POWER WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 5 MI FROM THE DESTINATION. WHEN THE PILOT REALIZED HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACH THE AIRPORT, HE LANDED IN A PASTURE. DURING THE LANDING ROLL-OUT, A STRUT FAILED AND THE PLANE NOSE OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT A WHEEL GOT INTO A RUT BEFORE THE PLANE NOSED OVER. DURING AN EXAMINATION, WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS AND CARBURETOR BOW. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD FAILED TO DRAIN THE FUEL SUMPS PRIOR TO DEPARTING RENSSELAER.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,550 hours in all; 1,505 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 2,445 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Rensselaer IN at 10:00 am
- Destination: Brooklyn Park MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.