Beech A23A accident near Oaktown, Indiana, February 18, 1984
On February 18, 1984 at about 10:43 am local time, a Beech A23A, registered N3639Q, was destroyed in an accident near Oaktown, Indiana (Green Pvt. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- February 18, 1984 · about 10:43 am local time
- Place
- Oaktown, Indiana · Green Pvt.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23A · all A23As on the register
- Registration
- N3639Q · no longer on the register · serial MI039
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT STALLED & CRASHED AFTER A PWR LOSS DURING NIGHT X-COUNTRY FLT. PLT RADIOED A 'MAYDAY' CALL AFTER REPORTING 3 MINS EARLIER HE HAD 30-45 MINS OF FUEL REMAINING. INDIANAPOLIS ARTCC WAS GIVING FLT ASSISTANCE TO N3639Q & ADVISED THE FLT OFAN ARPT AT 'YOUR TWO O'CLOCK POSITION AND 3 MILES.' THIS OCCURRED AFTER SOME DISCUSSION, WHICH STARTED AT 0522:45, ABOUTTHE FLTS LOW FUEL STATE AND FUEL REMAINING VS DISTANCE TO EVANSVILLE. HUF SECTOR ADVISED AT 0530:51, 'THERE ARE SEVERAL,UH, SMALLER ARPTS ALONG THE WAY THERE IF YOU, UH, NEED TO GO DOWN, LET US KNOW.' PLT MADE NO DECISION AT THIS TIME. AT 0535:38, PLT WAS AGAIN QUESTIONED ABOUT FUEL AND ADVISED THAT HIS ESTIMATE OF FUEL REMAINING WAS CAUTIONARY FOR THE REMAINING DISTANCE TO DESTINATION. PLT CONFIRMED THAT ENOUGH FUEL REMAINED. AT 0538:35, PLT TRANSMITTED, '39QUEBEC OUT OF GAS. GOING DOWN AT THIS TIME.' THE PLT CONTINUED TO COMMUNICATE BY RADIO AND WAS VECTORED TOWARD AN ARPT. APRX 1 MIN AFTER THE ARPT WAS SIGHTED, RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 264 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 159 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,581 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1983; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-346 A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 71J Ozark AL at 5:15 am
- Destination: GYY Gary IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 am from HVF, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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 N3639Q 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.