Cessna 320F accident near Washington, Indiana, June 8, 1991
On June 8, 1991 at about 3:15 am local time, a Cessna 320F, registered N6158Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Washington, Indiana (Deviess County airport). 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
EXCEEDING THE AIRCRAFT'S PROPER DESCENT RATE BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE INOPERATIVE RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTS, PROPER ALIGNMENT NOT ATTAINED, IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH, AND INADEQUATE FACILITY MAINTENANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 1991 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Washington, Indiana · Deviess County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320F · all 320Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6158Q · no longer on the register · serial 320F-008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE A NIGHT VISUAL APPROACH TO AN AIRPORT WHERE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. THE LOCAL PROCEDURE FOR MAKING NIGHT APPROACHES TO THE AIRPORT WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE INOPERATIVE IS TO LINE UP THE AIRPORT ROTATING BEACON WITH THE MARKER LIGHT ON A GRAIN BIN ONE HALF MILE FROM THE AIRPORT, START A DESCENT, AND WAIT FOR THE AIRCRAFT LANDING LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE THE RUNWAY. HE WAS HIGH ON THE FIRST APPROACH AND EXECUTED A GO AROUND. ON THE SECOND APPROACH HE WAS HIGH AND TO THE LEFT, BUT HAD ESTABLISHED A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT, AND FAILED TO CORRECT FOR THIS CONDITION PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT 20 FEET LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AT APPROXIMATELY MID FIELD.
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: 1,500 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 2, 2000; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSI0-520B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OWB Owensboro KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.