Piper PA-28-181 accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana, January 5, 1988
On January 5, 1988 at about 1:45 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N3003M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana. 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
- January 5, 1988 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Fort Wayne, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N3003M · no longer on the register · serial 28-7890283
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT ON NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WITH CLEAR, VERY COLD WEATHER, EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE CRUISING AT 7500 FEET MSL. APPROACH CONTROL GAVE POSITION OF CLOSEST FIELD, BUT PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO DESTINATION WHICH WAS FIVE MILES FARTHER. WHEN PILOT REALIZED HE COULD NOT MAKE INTENDED DESTINATION, HE ACCEPTED VECTORS TO CLOSEST FIELD. PILOT DID NOT THINK THAT FIELD COULD BE MADE AND ELECTED TO MAKE A LANDING ON HIGHWAY. THE ACFT HIT A LIGHT POLE WHILE MANUEVERING FOR A SHORT FINAL APPROACH WITH THE HIGHWAY. ENGINE INSPECTION COULD FIND NO DEFECTS. ENGINE RAN WELL AND PRODUCED NORMAL POWER IN TEST CELL. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS ONLY 2200 RPM AT FULL THROTTLE BOTH ON THE GROUND AND IN CRUISE. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE WAS NOT UTILIZING THE WINTERIZATION KIT. THE MAXIMUM OIL TEMP WAS 8O DEGREES F. ACCORDING TO THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER, OPERATION AT SEVERE TEMPERATURES CAN ALLOW MINUTE ICE PARTICLES TO COLLECT ON THE CARBURETOR INLET SCREEN AND BLOCK SOME OR ALL OF THE FUEL FLOW.
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: 122 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 73 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 23, 1987; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DVN Davenport IA
- Destination: FWA Fort Wayne IN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 16 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 1°F (-17°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from FWA, 9 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.