Piper PA-28-236 accident near Highland, Indiana, January 13, 1994
On January 13, 1994 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-236, registered N8117Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Highland, Indiana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An electrical system failure due to a fractured alternator mounting lug. Factors related to the accident were the rough terrain, and decreasing visibility due to snow and darkness.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 1994 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Highland, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-236 · all PA-28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N8117Z · registry record · serial 28-8011026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE FLYING IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS THE AIRPLANE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CEASED OPERATING. ESTIMATING ONE HOUR OF FUEL REMAINING, THE PILOT DESCENDED THROUGH THE CLOUDS IN SEARCH OF AN AIRPORT. ONCE BELOW THE CLOUDS, THE PILOT STATED, HE ENCOUNTERED RAPIDLY DECREASING VISIBILITY DUE TO SNOW AND DARKENING SKY. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES OF FLYING, THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A FARM FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND NOSE GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED A DISCONNECTED ALTERNATOR BELT. THE ALTERNATOR'S MOUNTING LUG HAD SEPARATED FROM THE UNIT ALLOWING THE ALTERNATOR TO MOVE AWAY FROM ITS ENGINE MOUNTING. THE TYPE OF FRACTURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO SURFACE POLISHING.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,156 hours in all; 388 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 1,102 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,971 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 13, 1993; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MDT Harrisburg PA at 4:55 pm
- Destination: C18 Frankfort IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from GYY, 5 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.
Other NTSB records under N8117Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.