Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near Muncie, Indiana, August 29, 1984
On August 29, 1984 at about 3:57 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N4355N, was destroyed in an accident near Muncie, Indiana (Johnson Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 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
- August 29, 1984 · about 3:57 pm local time
- Place
- Muncie, Indiana · Johnson Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201 PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N4355N · registry record · serial 28R8431023
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THAT WHEN THE ACFT WAS TAKING OFF, THE ENG SOUNDED 'ROUGH & WAS BACKFIRING.' THEY OBSERVED THE ACFT CROSS THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY AT A LOWER ALT & SLOWER SPEED THAN WHAT THEY CONSIDERED AS NORMAL. THEY SAW THE ACFT'S WINGS ROCK, THEN OBSERVED THE ACFT TO ENTER A STEEP LEFT TURN BACK TOWARD THE ARPT. WHILE TURNING, THE GEAR EXTENDED AS THE ACFT WAS APPROACHING TO CROSS OVER A TREELINE. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE LEFT WING HIT A TREE (73 FT AGL), THEN THE ACFT CRASHED & WAS DEMOLISHED BY FIRE. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE AND A TEARDOWN OF THE ENG DID NOT REVEAL THE REASON FOR THE POWER LOSS. BOTH FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS WERE RATED PLTS. THE OCCUPANT IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT BFR, BUT THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PLT WAS A CERTIFIED FLT INSTRUCTOR.
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: 845 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 716 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 69 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Munci Aviation CO.
The flight
- Departed from: MIE at 3:55 pm
- Destination: MGY Dayton OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from MIE, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.