Cessna R182 accident near Indianapolis, Indiana, January 28, 1991
On January 28, 1991 at about 1:46 pm local time, a Cessna R182, registered N6610S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Indianapolis, Indiana (Metropolitan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
VISUAL OUTLOOK WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND AIRCRAFT DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE DENSE FOG, EARLY DAWN LIGHT CONDITIONS, POOR JUDGEMENT AND OVER CONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY BY THE PILOT AND TREES IN THE DEPARTURE PATH OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1991 · about 1:46 pm local time
- Place
- Indianapolis, Indiana · Metropolitan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R182 · all R182s on the register
- Registration
- N6610S · no longer on the register · serial R18201694
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE THEN THE TERRAIN SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF ON AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED AS ZERO/ZERO AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT SAID THAT DUE TO HIS INJURIES, HE COULD NOT REMEMBER A PRE-FLIGHT CHECK OF WEATHER OR FILING AND IFR FLIGHT PLAN.
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: 3,525 hours in all; 1,333 in this make and model; 131 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,546 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MIE Muncie IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 320° at 3 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 9°F (-13°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Observation at 1:18 pm from IND, 20 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.