Piper PA-28-181 accident near Orleans, Indiana, September 24, 1988
On September 24, 1988, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N21985, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orleans, Indiana (Orleans airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT AND TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM THE UTILITY POLE AND TRANSMISSION WIRE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE CAUSE WERE THE PILOT'S TOTAL LACK OF EXPERIENCE, TASK OVERLOAD, AND ANXIETY, STEMMING FROM A PARTIAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER, WHICH LED TO DISORIENTATION AND THE ATTEMPTED LANDING AT THE WRONG AIRPORT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 1988
- Place
- Orleans, Indiana · Orleans · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N21985 · registry record · serial 7990066
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER WHILE ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, BECAME LOST AND ANXIOUS, AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT THE WRONG AIRPORT. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE LEFT LANDING GEAR STRUCK A UTILITY POLE AND THE LEFT WING TOUCHED A TRANSMISSION WIRE. THE PILOT RECOVERED AND CONTINUED TO HIS INTENDED DESTINATION, LANDING WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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: 101 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 86 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,269 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 19, 1988; 13 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: DEC Decatur IL at 11:00 pm
- Destination: I83 Salem IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,890 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 010° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from LOU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.