Piper PA-23-160 accident near Hobart, Indiana, September 16, 1993
On September 16, 1993 at about 4:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-160, registered N4470P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hobart, Indiana (Hobart Skyranch 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
THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT DURING A SIMULATED SINGLE ENGINE APPROACH AND LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 1993 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- Hobart, Indiana · Hobart Skyranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N4470P · no longer on the register · serial 23-1976
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI AND COMMERCIAL MULTIENGINE STUDENT WERE PRACTICING TRAFFIC PATTERN WORK AND SINGLE ENGINE PROCEDURES IN PREPARATION FOR A CHECKRIDE. THE CFI SIMULATED A RIGHT ENGINE FAILURE AND INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO PROCEED WITH A SINGLE ENGINE LANDING. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE LANDING GEAR UP. THE CFI STATED THEY HAD EXTENDED THE GEAR AND NOTED THREE GREEN (GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED) LIGHTS BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR WAS IN THE GEAR DOWN POSITION. THE LANDING GEAR WAS UP AND GEAR DOORS WERE CLOSED. THE LANDING GEAR WAS PUMPED DOWN MANUALLY. IT EXTENDED AND LOCKED NORMALLY, WITH CORRESPONDING GREEN LIGHT INDICATIONS. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,350 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,800 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 30, 1993; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,100 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from GYY, 8 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.