Cessna 172 M accident near Valparaiso, Indiana, May 3, 1985
On May 3, 1985 at about 4:53 pm local time, a Cessna 172 M, registered N23388, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valparaiso, Indiana (Porter County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- May 3, 1985 · about 4:53 pm local time
- Place
- Valparaiso, Indiana · Porter County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M · all 172 Ms on the register
- Registration
- N23388 · no longer on the register · serial 17264086
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DEPARTED THE GRIFFITH ARPT ON A LOCAL FLT & PROCEEDED TO TWO OTHER ARPTS TO PRACTICE LANDINGS. HE FLEW TO THE STARKE COUNTY ARPT & MADE 5 OR 6 LANDINGS, THEN WENT TO THE PORTER COUNTY ARPT. AFTER THE 5TH TOUCH-&-GO, HE PREPARED TO TAKEOFF BY RETRACTING THE FLAPS & INSURING THAT HE HAD MIXTURE RICH, CARB HEAT OFF & THROTTLE FULL FORWARD. HOWEVER, AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT DID NOT SEEMED TO CLIMB NORMALLY. HE RECHECKED ALL CONTROLS & EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE IN THE NORMAL POSITION, BUT THE ACFT WAS NOT CLIMBING. BEFORE HE INITIATED AN EMERG LANDING, THE RGT WING STRUCK THE GROUND & THE ACFT CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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
- Flight time: 226 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1,769 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30,962 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 1984; 886 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Griffith Aviation,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: 05C Griffith IN at 3:20 pm
- Destination: OXI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from SBN, 345 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N23388 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.