Piper PA-28-140 accident near Hobart, Indiana, August 14, 1988
On August 14, 1988 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N95472, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hobart, Indiana (Hobart Sky Ranch airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- August 14, 1988 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hobart, Indiana · Hobart Sky Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N95472 · no longer on the register · serial 28-25980
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRACTICING CROSSWIND TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS, THE STUDENT PILOT FAILED TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE CROSSWIND AND EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL SHORTLY AFTER THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT; THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A PINE TREE.
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: student
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,820 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 1988; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Niemeyer Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,125 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N95472 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.