Piper PA-38-112 accident near Griffith, Indiana, December 28, 1989
On December 28, 1989 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2605P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Griffith, Indiana (Griffith 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
FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF (NORMAL) BRAKES. HIS DECISION TO MAKE A RUNNING TAKEOFF, HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE, AND THE SNOWBANK WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1989 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Griffith, Indiana · Griffith · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2605P · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A1043
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER THE STUDENT PILOT PERFORMED UNEVENTFUL TOUCH-&-GO LANDINGS, HIS FLT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) EXITED THE ACFT TO ALLOW THE STUDENT TO FLY SOLO. THE STUDENT TAXIED BACK TO THE RWY. HE STATED HE 'ROLLED OUT ONTO THE RUNWAY WITHOUT STOPPING, CENTERED THE PLANE ON THE RUNWAY, AND APPLIED FULL THROTTLE,' BUT THE PLANE GOT OUT OF CONTROL. HE CLOSED THE THROTTLE &'LOCKED UP' THE BRAKES. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A PILE OF PLOWED SNOW & CAME TO REST APRX 20 FT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE STUDENT HAD NEARLY 18 HRS OF FLT TIME, OF WHICH, 1/2 HR WAS SOLO TIME.
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: 18 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,622 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 13, 1989; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Great Northern Aircraft Sales
The flight
- Departed from: 05C at 2:00 pm
- Destination: 05C
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,013 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from GYY, 6 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.