Piper PA-30 accident near Indianapolis, Indiana, October 21, 1983
On October 21, 1983 at about 4:15 am local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7536Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Indianapolis, Indiana (Indianapolis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- October 21, 1983 · about 4:15 am local time
- Place
- Indianapolis, Indiana · Indianapolis
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7536Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-600
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF FROM DYERSBURG THE GEAR WOULD NOT FULLY RETRACT. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE GEAR MANUALLY BUT IT WAS STUCK IN THE TRANSIENT POSITION. THE PLT THEN DIVERTED TO INDIANAPOLIS & LANDED WITH THE GEAR IN THE TRANSIENT POSITION.INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR PUSH-PULL CABLE HAD BEEN PULLED OUT OF ITS HOUSING.
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
- Flight time: 1,176 hours in all; 240 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 1,011 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 11, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DYR Dyersburg TN at 1:05 am
- Destination: 3I7 Phillipsburg OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4L, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:24 am from IND
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.