Piper PA-32-260 accident near Demotte, Indiana, July 24, 1983
On July 24, 1983 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3744W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Demotte, Indiana (Demotte airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 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
- July 24, 1983 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Demotte, Indiana · Demotte · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3744W · registry record · serial 32658
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED HE OVERFLEW THE UNFAMILIAR ARPT & LANDED TO THE SOUTH (DOWNWIND) BECAUSE OF POWER LINES ON THE APPROACH TO THE NORTH. HE WAS HIGH ON FINAL DUE TO A TREE IN THE APPROACH PATH. THE ACFT FLOATED DURING THE FLARE. HE THEN RAISEDTHE NOSE & THE RIGHT WING DROPPED 'INDICATING STALL.' POWER WAS THEN ADDED AS THE NOSE WAS LOWERED. THE ACFT WAS THEN APPROACHING THE END OF THE RWY & STILL 5 FT AGL. THE PLT ELECTED TO REDUCE POWER & LAND. HE TURNED INTO A CORN FIELD TO AVOID A DITCH & OTHER OBSTACLES.
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: 1,012 hours in all; 852 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 930 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,430 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 1982; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C16 Champaign IL at 4:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,390 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from GYY, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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 N3744W 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.