Piper PA-15 accident near Indianapolis, Indiana, December 7, 1991
On December 7, 1991 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-15, registered N4302H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Indianapolis, Indiana (Brookside airport). It was an instructional 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
REMEDIAL ACTION WAS NOT PERFORMED BY THE CFI/PIC. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE STUDENT PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 1991 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Indianapolis, Indiana · Brookside · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-15 · all PA-15s on the register
- Registration
- N4302H · no longer on the register · serial 15-102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI PILOT SAID THAT WHILE TEACHING EMERGENCY LANDING PROCEDURES, ON A SOD STRIP, THE STUDENT PLT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,940 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 1,829 as pilot in command; 930 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I21 Mccordsville IN at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,200 ft by 90 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:30 pm from IND, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.