Piper PA-34-200 accident near Angola, Indiana, May 18, 1986
On May 18, 1986 at about 2:58 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N44603, was destroyed in an accident near Angola, Indiana (Tri-State Steuben County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 18, 1986 · about 2:58 am local time
- Place
- Angola, Indiana · Tri-State Steuben County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N44603 · registry record · serial 34-7450214
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DIVERTED INTO ANGOLA, AN AIRFIELD HE HAD NEVER LANDED AT BEFORE, DUE TO AN UNIDENTIFIED ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AT NIGHT. HE WAS GIVEN VECTORS TO THE AIRPORT AND REPORTED THE FIELD IN SIGHT. HE THEN SAID HE WAS GOING TO CIRCLE TO LOSE ALTITUDE PRIOR TO LANDING. ON VISUAL FINAL APPROACH, HE STRUCK THE ROOF OF A HOUSE AND CRASH LANDED ON A ROAD. HE WAS APPROX 1 DEGREE BELOW STANDARD GLIDE SLOPE WHEN HE STRUCK THE HOUSE. A LARGE QUANTITY OF UNSECURED PERSONAL BELONGINGS IN THE REAR OF THE PLANE FLEW FORWARD UPON IMPACT. THE PILOT WAS NOT WEARING THE SHOULDER HARNESS INSTALLED ABOVE HIS SEAT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,352 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,252 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,369 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 1986; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTL Battle Creek MI at 2:25 am
- Destination: CHA Chattanooga TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from FWA, 45 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.
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.