Piper PA-28-161 accident near Zionsville, Indiana, January 13, 1996
On January 13, 1996 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N80029, was substantially damaged in an accident near Zionsville, Indiana (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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane on the ground. A factor relating to this accident is the snowbank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 1996 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Zionsville, Indiana · Terry Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N80029 · registry record · serial 28-8216076
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was performing a touch and go landing when the airplane 'pulled left into the snow and stood up on its nose.' 'The airplane then slowly fell over onto its back.' The center 75 feet of the runway's 100 foot width had been plowed. The plowed area was 'clear and dry.' Examination of the wreckage at the site revealed the airplane nosed over in a snow bank approximately 10 feet from the left edge of the runway. Flight control continuity was established. No anomalies were found in the engine or in any of the airplane's other systems.
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: student
- Flight time: 21 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,975 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 11, 1995; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I52 at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from IND, 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.
Other NTSB records under N80029 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.