Cessna 182 accident near New Castle, Indiana, July 18, 1989
On July 18, 1989, a Cessna 182, registered N5158D, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Castle, Indiana. It was a personal 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTIAN DIRECTIONAL DURING THE ABORTED TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. THE DITCH WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1989
- Place
- New Castle, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N5158D · registry record · serial 51258
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF, THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RGT SIDE OF THE 1200 X 18 FT GRASS STRIP & WENT INTO A DITCH. THE PLT RPRTD THAT HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HE HEARD THE ENG 'SPUTTER.' NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINE WAS FOUND. DUE TO HEART PROBLEMS & DIABETES, THE 67 YR OLD PLT HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED A MED CERT SINCE 1977. THE LAST ENTRY IN HIS LOGBOOK WAS IN 1959. AT THAT TIME, HE HAD LOGGED 800 HRS OF FLT TIME. SHORTLY AFTER THE ACDNT, HE SUFFERED A SERIES OF STROKES, WHICH PREVENTED HIM FROM BEING INTERVIEWED.
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
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,776 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 1988; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,200 ft by 18 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from IND, 44 miles away
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.
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.