Piper PA-28 accident near Poseyville, Indiana, September 26, 1995
On September 26, 1995, a Piper PA-28, registered N39999, was substantially damaged in an accident near Poseyville, Indiana (Poseyville Employment airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's poor judgement in making a night takeoff on an unlit runway and his failure to maintain proper runway alignment. Factors associated with the accident were the hay bale, the night conditions and the unlit runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1995
- Place
- Poseyville, Indiana · Poseyville Employment · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N39999 · registry record · serial 28-79-16017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT IT WAS DARK WHEN HE DEPARTED THE GRASS AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT HE COULD TAKEOFF EVEN THOUGH THE RUNWAYS LACKED ANY LIGHTING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE INSTRUCTED SOMEONE IN AN AUTOMOBILE TO POSTION THE AUTOMOBILE AT THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 22, AND TO SHINE ITS LIGHTS AT THE AIRPLANE IN ORDER TO GIVE THE PILOT A CENTERLINE REFERENCE FOR RUNWAY 22. THE PILOT STATED, 'UNFORTUNATELY, I INSTRUCTED THE AUTOMOBILE TO SET AT THE END OF RUNWAY 18.' HE FURTHER STATED THAT, 'A BLATANT ERROR IN JUDGMENT AND AIRCRAFT DIRECTION RESULTED IN DEPARTING THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTING A ROLLED BALE OF HAY IN THE ADJACENT FIELD.'
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: 210 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 119 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,165 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 21, 1995; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,440 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D36 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 92IN
- Destination: UMP Fishers IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from EVV, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.