Piper PA-28-181 accident near Greenwood, Indiana, September 14, 1986
On September 14, 1986 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N3072L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenwood, Indiana (Skyway airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- September 14, 1986 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Greenwood, Indiana · Skyway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N3072L · registry record · serial 287790264
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BRAKE PADS ON THE AIRCRAFT WERE ALLOWED TO WEAR BEYOND THEIR LIMITS. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE RIGHT BRAKE CYLINDER MOVED OUT PAST ITS LIMIT AND RELEASED THE O-RING. THIS RESULTED IN A LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID FROM THE RIGHT BRAKE. ALL OF THIS HAPPENED SIMULTANEOUSLY AS THE PILOT APPLIED BRAKE PRESSURE, WHILE ON LANDING ROLLOUT. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE HAD NO RIGHT BRAKE, BUT FULL LEFT BRAKE, WHICH LEFT HIM WITH A LACK OF CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE ON THE GROUND. THE PILOT STEERED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY ONTO ROUGH TERRAIN WHERE THE PLANE WAS DAMAGED.
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: 69 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 38 as pilot in command; 127 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,475 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 29, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5I4 Indianapolis IN at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from IND, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.