Piper PA-36-375 accident near Windfall, Indiana, June 28, 1996
On June 28, 1996 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-36-375, registered N2459X, was destroyed in an accident near Windfall, Indiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering to avoid an obstruction (transmission line), which resulted in a stall and collision with the terrain. His lack of familiarity with the geographic area was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1996 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Windfall, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36-375 · all PA-36-375s on the register
- Registration
- N2459X · no longer on the register · serial 36-8302007
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was en route to disperse chemicals on a farm field, when it was observed to pitch up, turn left and impact the terrain. The airplane impacted the terrain about 100 yards short of where a 50 foot transmission line crossed its path. The pilot did not have aeronautical charts with him and was using plat maps to locate the farm.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,613 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1996; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-D1CD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 5I8 Greentown IN at 5:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.