Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Terre Haute, Indiana, December 27, 1983
On December 27, 1983 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N44042, was substantially damaged in an accident near Terre Haute, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- December 27, 1983 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Terre Haute, Indiana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N44042 · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7435292
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE AN OFF ARPT FORCED LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE FLT DEPARTED WICHITA FALLS, TX AT 1516 WITH 48 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. WHEN ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF TERRE HAUTE, IN, THE ENGINE QUIT. THEPLT TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT COULD NOT. THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED BETWEEN 1/16 AND 1/8 OF A TANK AT THIS TIME. THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 2130. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE ACFT AND REPORTED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 824 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 499 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPS Wichita Falls TX at 10:16 pm
- Destination: 4I8 Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:42 am from HUF, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.