Beech BE-77 accident near Covington, Indiana, December 20, 1983
On December 20, 1983 at about 1:56 am local time, a Beech BE-77, registered N3706W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Covington, Indiana. 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 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 20, 1983 · about 1:56 am local time
- Place
- Covington, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-77
- Registration
- N3706W · registry record · serial WA-178
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT AFTER LESS THAN AN HOUR OF FLIGHT TIME FOLLOWING DEPARTURE. THE WINGS WERE DAMAGED DURING THE LANDING. AFTER THE ACCIDENT AN FAA MAINTENANCE INSPECTOR OPENED BOTH MAIN TANK DRAINS AND DRAINED ONLY 1/3 OF A PINT OF FUEL FROM BOTH TANKS. THE FUEL LINES AND CARBURETOR CONTAINED NO FUEL.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,179 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 1,034 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 995 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1983; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming D-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C16 Urbana IL at 1:15 am
- Destination: 418 Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: -9°F (-23°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.