Piper PA-28R-201 accident near Noblesville, Indiana, June 22, 1988
On June 22, 1988 at about 12:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201, registered N36472, was substantially damaged in an accident near Noblesville, Indiana (Indianapolis Metropolitan airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- June 22, 1988 · about 12:15 pm local time
- Place
- Noblesville, Indiana · Indianapolis Metropolitan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N36472 · registry record · serial 28R 7837280
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING INITIAL CLIMBOUT THE PILOT STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT RATE OF CLIMB TO CONTINUE FLIGHT. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, STRIKING TREES. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FAILED TO REVEAL EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION AND REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WEIGHT LIMITATIONS WERE EXCEEDED. THE PILOT HAD NOT PERFORMED ANY WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. A WITNESS REPORTED A VERY ABRUPT ROTATION AND NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE AFTER LIFTOFF.
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: 608 hours in all; 119 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 558 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 15, 1988; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Indianapolis Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 4I8 Noblesville IN at 12:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 am from IND, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.