Piper PA-28-140 accident near Veedersburg, Indiana, March 31, 1986
On March 31, 1986 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N9910W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Veedersburg, 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
- March 31, 1986 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Veedersburg, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N9910W · no longer on the register · serial 28-23430
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF FROM A 1080 FOOT WHEAT FIELD THAT HE HAD MISTAKEN FOR A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP 1 1/2 MILES TO THE NORTHEAST. THE PILOT SAID THE ENGINE HAD A SLIGHT RPM LOSS AND THEN DEVELOPED FULL POWER BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE GATE AND FENCE POST AT THE END OF THE FIELD.
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: 174 hours in all; 96 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 126 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,563 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, December 9, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4I5 Covington IN at 9:20 pm
- Destination: RLA Veedersburg IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from HUF, 30 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.