Cessna 172 accident near Greencastle, Indiana, December 31, 1991
On December 31, 1991 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N3281L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greencastle, Indiana (Putnam airport). It was an instructional 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
THE WORN CENTERING LOCKING LUG ON THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 31, 1991 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Greencastle, Indiana · Putnam
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N3281L · registry record · serial 17256181
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT SAID THAT WHILE PRACTICING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS, THE AIRPLANE SWERVED ABRUPTLY TO THE LEFT AT THE INSTANT IT TOUCHED DOWN. IT THEN SWERVED OFF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A WORN CENTERING LOCKING LUG WHICH ALLOWED THE NOSE WHEEL TO BE COCKED ON TOUCHDOWN.
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: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,718 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 2, 1991; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft; not recorded at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:30 pm from HUF, 25 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.