Piper PA-61-601P accident near Aurora, Indiana, September 8, 1992
On September 8, 1992 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-61-601P, registered N717BB, was destroyed in an accident near Aurora, Indiana. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 1992 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Aurora, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-61-601P
- Registration
- N717BB · no longer on the register · serial 61P-8063433
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON SECOND CORPORATE FLIGHT OF THE DAY AND COMPLAINED TO THE AVIONICS TECHNICIAN ABOUT THE AUTOPILOT AND ASKED HIM TO ADJUST IT. THE TECHNICIAN SAID IT WOULD REQUIRE A FLIGHT CHECK. THE PILOT SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT, AND GOT THE TECHNICIAN TO TELL HIM HOW TO PERFORM THE ADJUSTMENT. RADAR SHOWS THE AIRPLANE STABLE AT 14,100 FEET AFTER DEPARTURE. IT THEN BEGINS TO DEVIATE FROM CRUISE ALTITUDE BETWEEN PLUS 100 FEET TO MINUS 200 FEET. CENTER GIVES THE PILOT A FIFTEEN DEGREE COURSE CHANGE FOR TRAFFIC AND THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGES THE INSTRUCTION WHILE THE AIRPLANE IS DEVIATING OFF COURSE. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AND NO FURTHER RADIO TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE PILOT. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND REPORTED HEARING A LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY A MUFFLED EXPLOSION, AND SEEING THE AIRPLANE EXIT CLOUDS VERTICALLY. THE OUTBOARD SIX FEET OF BOTH WINGS WERE FOUND 1.25 MILES FROM CRASH SITE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,284 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 1992; 244 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAY Vandalia OH at 8:12 pm
- Destination: MEM Memphis TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from CVG, 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.