Piper PA-28R-200 accident near South Bend, Indiana, November 10, 1986
On November 10, 1986 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N578PA, was substantially damaged in an accident near South Bend, Indiana (Michiana Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people 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
- November 10, 1986 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- South Bend, Indiana · Michiana Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N578PA · registry record · serial 28R7535241
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE AT 7000' MSL, THE PLT ASSUMED THAT HE WAS HAVING AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE BECAUSE HE HAD NOT HEARD ANY ARTCC TRANSMISSIONS, FUEL GAUGES WERE INDICATING LOW FUEL, AMMETER READING WAS ZERO, AND LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT CYCLE. HE SHUT OFF ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT EXCEPT COMM AND PROCEEDED TO SOUTH BEND AIRPORT. WHILE PREPARING TO LAND HE CHECKED THE POSITION OF THE OVERRIDE LEVER FOR THE AUTOMATIC EXTENSION OF THE LANDING GEAR, BUT DID NOT TRY TO RAISE AND THEN LOWER THE LEVER AS SUGGESTED UNDER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES IN THE ACFT MANUAL. PLT ALSO STATED HE DID NOT TRY TO YAW THE ACFT WHICH IS ALSO RECOMMENDED IN ACFT MANUAL FOR EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION. ALTHOUGH THE PLT DID TRY TO VERIFY ELECTRICAL FAILURE BY TURNING ON THE PITOT HEAT, HE DID NOT FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE TO SWITCH OFF THE ALTERNATOR FOR ONE SECOND AND THEN BACK ON TO SEE IF THE AMMETER CONTINUED TO INDICATE NO OUTPUT. ACFT LANDED GEAR UP RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO ACFT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 391 hours in all; 333 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 347 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,542 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 5, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0360-CIC (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Arrow Flight Club, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: AUM Austin MN at 2:15 pm
- Destination: GRR Grand Rapids MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 7,099 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from SBN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.