Piper PA-16 accident near Silver Lake, Indiana, October 5, 1996
On October 5, 1996 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-16, registered N5749H, was destroyed in an accident near Silver Lake, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel starvation due to an inadequate preflight and the pilot performed a low altitude maneuver which prevented him from selecting suitable terrain for landing. Additional factors included the loose fuel cap, fuel siphoning, and unreliable fuel gauges.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 1996 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Silver Lake, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-16 · all PA-16s on the register
- Registration
- N5749H · no longer on the register · serial 16-360
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was topped off at Ames, Iowa, prior to the last leg of the flight. The lineman reported that he opened the left fuel cap and observed that the left tank was full. He replaced the cap and refueled the right fuel tank. The pilot reported he did not visually check the fuel level, but relied on visually checking the fuel caps from behind the wing. The aircraft burned an average of 7.5 gph fuel. The aircraft had 4.5 to 4.8 hours of fuel on board. The flight lasted about 3.7 hours. Witnesses reported the aircraft circling at about 300 feet AGL and the engine sputtering before it quit. The left wing hit a tree before the aircraft impacted the ground. The aircraft skidded up on its nose with the tail nearly vertical. The examination of the aircraft revealed that a fuel stain initiating from the left fuel cap and streaming towards the rear of the wing was clearly visible. The engine and flight controls exhibited continuity. There were open fields near the crash site. The pilot reported that the fuel gauges were unreliable.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 640 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,692 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1996; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AMW Ames IA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: ASW Warsaw IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from FWA, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.