Beech A36 accident near Rensselaer, Indiana, December 10, 1991
On December 10, 1991 at about 10:50 am local time, a Beech A36, registered N61054, was destroyed in an accident near Rensselaer, Indiana (Jasper County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER AIRCRAFT HANDLING WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND DESCENT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE OBSCURATION & ICING CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 1991 · about 10:50 am local time
- Place
- Rensselaer, Indiana · Jasper County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N61054 · no longer on the register · serial E-1938
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 36 APPROXIMATELY 0545 HOURS. ABOUT 3/4 MILE NORTH AND SLIGHTLY EAST OF THE EXTENDED RUNWAY CENTERLINE, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND ON AN EASTERLY HEADING. THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND GROUND FIRE ENSUED. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED THROUGH TREES, ACROSS A SET OF RAILROAD TRACKS, BEFORE IT CAME TO A REST IN AN OPEN FIELD POINTING IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION. STATE POLICE DESCRIBED THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AS 'FOGGY, HAZY...WITH NO CEILING. VISIBILITY IN IMMEDIATE AREA WAS GIVEN AS 1/8 TO 1/4 MILE. ICE AND FROST WAS READILY FORMING ON PATROL CAR ANTENNAE...' THE POLICE REPORT INDICATES 'THE AIRPLANE SURFACE WAS COVERED WITH FROST...(WHICH) WAS PRIMARILY GONE...BEFORE...PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE SCENE.' TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE REPORTED AS 26 DEGREES. THE PILOT HAD NO RECOLLECTION OF THE ACCIDENT. THERE WS NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALY.
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: 600 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,194 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 11, 1991; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rose Acre Farms
The flight
- Destination: SER Seymour IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 3 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 200 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:32 am from LAF, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.