Welch OW8M accident near Greenfield, Indiana, October 3, 1993
On October 3, 1993 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Welch OW8M, registered N17117, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenfield, Indiana (Pope Field). It was a personal 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY FLARE THE AIRPLANE. THE GUSTY CROSSWIND WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1993 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greenfield, Indiana · Pope Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Welch OW8M
- Registration
- N17117 · no longer on the register · serial 49
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LANDING WAS MADE ON RUNWAY 18 WITH LOCAL WINDS REPORTED AS 235 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. THE PILOT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING TURBULENCE JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN DUE TO A LINE OF TREES ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THE TOUCHDOWN WAS HARD AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR FAILED AT THE AXLE WELD. THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET AT WHICH TIME THE STRUT DUG INTO THE TERRAIN AND THE AIRPLANE ROLLED OVER. THE LANDING GEAR STRUT HAD NO SHOCK ABSORPTION ABILITY.
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: 673 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 335 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 1993; 332 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 4-AC-150 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GFD at 7:45 pm
- Destination: GFD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:31 pm from IND, 28 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.