Piper PA-28-181 accident near Indianapolis, Indiana, October 11, 1988
On October 11, 1988, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8112T, was destroyed in an accident near Indianapolis, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 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
- October 11, 1988
- Place
- Indianapolis, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8112T · registry record · serial 28-8090127
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND HIS FAMILY OF THREE WERE RETURNING FROM A VACATION IN FLORIDA. THEY MADE A FUEL STOP AT COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, THEN TRIED TO FLY NON-STOP FROM THERE TO KOKOMO, INDIANA. ABOUT 50 MILES SHORT OF THE INTENDED DESTINATION, THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND (AT NIGHT) IN A FIELD NEAR A RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION. HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A POWER LINE, THEN CRASHED INTO A GROVE OF TREES.
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: 118 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 87 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,719 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1988; 65 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: CSG Columbus GA
- Destination: OKK Kokomo IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N8112T 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.