Piper PA-28-140 accident near Evansville, Indiana, March 16, 1988
On March 16, 1988 at about 11:19 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N15567, was substantially damaged in an accident near Evansville, Indiana (Sky Lane airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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 16, 1988 · about 11:19 pm local time
- Place
- Evansville, Indiana · Sky Lane · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N15567 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7325099
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT ATTEMPTED MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT TAKE-OFF FROM SOFT SOGGY FIELD WITH 10 DEGREE FLAPS SELECTED. STALL WARNING ACTIVATED ON LIFT-OFF, AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET THEN BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED, MADE UNCONTROLLED LANDING IN MUDDY FIELD ONE-HALF MILE FROM AIRPORT. INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AND FORWARD CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT WAS EXCEEDED. AIRCRAFT OPERATING MANUAL RECOMMENDS 25 DEGREE FLAPS FOR SOFT FIELD TAKE-OFF. THIS WAS PILOT'S FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH A MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT OPERATION.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 583 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 392 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,479 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 1987; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SKY Evansville at 11:00 pm
- Destination: 3EV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.