Johnson A-4 accident near Laporte, Indiana, October 6, 1994
On October 6, 1994 at about 9:09 pm local time, a Johnson A-4, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N1730H, was destroyed in an accident near Laporte, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadvertant stall of the airplane while conducting a forced landing. A factor was the engine failure which occurred for an undetermined reason.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1994 · about 9:09 pm local time
- Place
- Laporte, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Johnson A-4, amateur-built
- Registration
- N1730H · no longer on the register · serial 1000
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 200 FEET, HE NOTICED THAT HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN HIS CLIMB RATE. HE NOTICED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE MADE A 'NEAR STALL, 90 DEGREE RIGHT TURN' AND CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING IN A SMALL FIELD. A WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE AND APPEARED TO BE FLYING CLOSE TO A STALL. HE SAID THE PLANE 'APPARENTLY HIT NOSE AND RIGHT WING FIRST.' FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTORS, WHO EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE, REPORTED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION. INSPECTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM, MAGNETO, ENGINE, AND CARBURETOR REVEALED NO ANOMALIES.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MGC Michigan City IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from SBN, 20 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.