Piper PA-28-181 accident near Anderson, Indiana, May 12, 1990
On May 12, 1990 at about 3:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N6382C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anderson, Indiana (Anderson Muni. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND FAILED TO SELECT THE FUEL VALVE TO A TANK CONTAINING USABLE FUEL RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 1990 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Anderson, Indiana · Anderson Muni. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N6382C · no longer on the register · serial 28-7890369
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON A DARK NIGHT, THE PRIVATE PILOT WITH ONE PASSENGER WAS RETURNING FROM A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP. NEAR THE INTENDED DESTINATION AIRPORT, A TOTAL POWER LOSS OF THE ENGINE WAS EXPERIENCED. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED AT THE INTENDED LANDING AIRPORT; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY IN TREES. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK, WHICH CONTAINED NO USABLE FUEL; HOWEVER, THE LEFT TANK WAS FULL OF FUEL.
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: 90 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 60 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,328 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SIV Sullivan IN at 2:15 am
- Destination: AID Anderson IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 am from MIE, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.