Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Nappanee, Indiana, July 27, 1989
On July 27, 1989 at about 1:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N3923F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nappanee, Indiana (Nappanee Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT CALCULATION OF WEIGHT AND BALANCE AND THE AIRCRAFT'S INADEQUATE CLIMB CAPABILITY DUE TO LOW COMPRESSION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 1989 · about 1:10 pm local time
- Place
- Nappanee, Indiana · Nappanee Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N3923F · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7680419
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF ON A PART 135 CARGO FLIGHT, THE PILOT OBSERVED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT DEMONSTRATING A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY. IT CONTINUED ACROSS A FIELD, ROADWAY, AND DITCH, SEPARATING THE LEFT WING FROM THE AIRPLANE. POST- ACCIDENT EVALUATION REVEALED 4 OF THE 6 CYLINDERS TO HAVE INADEQUATE COMPRESSION, THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT WAS EXCEEDED, AND THE CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS AFT OF ACCEPTABLE LIMITS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,322 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 1,227 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 29, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C03 at 1:10 pm
- Destination: FAM Farmington MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from SBN, 23 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.