Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Winamac, Indiana, November 11, 1986
On November 11, 1986, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N75363, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winamac, Indiana (Winamac airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- November 11, 1986
- Place
- Winamac, Indiana · Winamac · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N75363 · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7680296
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER NOTICING A VAGUE SHAPE OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT, DURING TAKEOFF RUN AT NIGHT, THE PILOT CONTINUED DOWN THE RUNWAY UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A 180 POUND DEER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,181 hours in all; 1,150 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,592 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 1986; 117 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4C4 Winamac IN
- Destination: SBN South Bend IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 pm from SBN, 47 miles away
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.