Cessna 172RG accident near Portland, Indiana, March 17, 1985
On March 17, 1985 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9584B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portland, Indiana (Portland airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- March 17, 1985 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Portland, Indiana · Portland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9584B · registry record · serial 172RG0899
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON LANDING THE NOSE GEAR WAS DOWN & LOCKED, BUT BOTH MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PLT WAS NOT CERTAIN IF A DOWN & LOCKED INDICATION WAS RECEIVED BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. DURING A GEAR RETRACTION/EXTENSION TEST AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE GEAR OPERATED NORMALLY. ALSO, THE LANDING GEAR INDICATORS & WARNING SYS OPERATED NORMALLY.
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: 128 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 93 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 743 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 1984; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMD Ft. Wayne IN at 5:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; not recorded at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from FWA, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.