Cessna 414A accident near Winchester, Indiana, July 5, 1984
On July 5, 1984 at about 2:05 pm local time, a Cessna 414A, registered N59DB, was destroyed in an accident near Winchester, Indiana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. 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 5, 1984 · about 2:05 pm local time
- Place
- Winchester, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414A · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N59DB · registry record · serial 4140260
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT ENTERED AN EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORM AFTER BEING ADVISED BY ARTC OF SEVERAL LARGE AREAS OF HEAVY PRECIP IN HIS AREA& ALONG THE VICINITY OF HIS FLT PATH. THE PLTS RESPONSE WAS THAT HIS ACFT RADAR SHOWED NO BUILD-UPS OR RETURNS. ATC ALLOWED DEVIATIONS AT PLTS DISCRETION ACCORDING TO THE RECORDED TAPED CONVERSATION. THE PLT CONTINUED HIS FLT PATH & WASLOST ON RADAR SHORTLY THEREAFTER IN A DESCENDING RT TURN AT 16800 FT MSL. WITNESSES SAW HIM EXIT THE BOTTOM OF THE CLOUDAT ABOUT 1000 FT AGL. THE WINGS WERE SEEN TO SEPARATE FROM THE FUSELAGE. OTHER WITNESSES SAW THE FUSELAGE DESCEND INVERTED, MINUS THE WINGS, EMPANNAGE & ENGINES, TO IMPACT IN A CORN FLD. THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA 1 & 1/2MILES LONG & 1/2 MILE WIDE. WITNESSES WHO HAD OBSERVED THE ACFTS PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE DESCRIBED IT AS 'MASS CONFUSION' IN THE COCKPIT. THE ACFT REPORTEDLY CREPT FOWARD SIX TIMES DURING AN EXTENDED 10-15 MINUTE CHECKLIST WHILE THE ENGINES WERE RUNNING AT A HIGH RPM SETTING ON A RAMP WITH OTHER ACFT & PEOPLE AROUND.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,164 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 23, 1983; 952 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTW Ft. Wayne IN
- Destination: PDK Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from FWA, 50 miles away
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.