Piper PA-31-350 accident near Zionsville, Indiana, January 4, 1996
On January 4, 1996 at about 11:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N111UC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Zionsville, Indiana (Indianapolis Terry airport). 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to properly align the airplane for a safe landing on the runway. Related factors were: the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, snow, the snow-covered runway, and snowbanks on the sides of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 4, 1996 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Zionsville, Indiana · Indianapolis Terry
- 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-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N111UC · registry record · serial 31-7952190
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said while on the ILS approach for runway 36 (5,500' x 100'), he had visual contact with the runway two miles out. The airplane touched down 42 feet left of centerline and 8 feet right of the runway edge where the airplane contacted 30-inch deep snowdrifts. There was a NOTAM (D) issued for the snow banks on the sides of the runway and a 75-foot width clearing between the snow banks.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 5,200 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,345 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 13, 1995; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,400 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IGI Cleveland OH at 9:30 pm
- Destination: I52 IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 600 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from IND, 14 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.