Piper PA-28-140 accident near Arcadia, Indiana, May 24, 1997
On May 24, 1997 at about 1:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5892W, was destroyed in an accident near Arcadia, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
improper planning/decision by the pilot. Factors related to the accident were: the pilot's selection of the wrong runway for takeoff, and the resultant tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 1997 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Arcadia, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5892W · no longer on the register · serial 282634
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made a downwind takeoff from a sod runway that was 2,500 feet long. The sod runway was not lighted, nor were there any reflective devices marking the threshold or runway edges. According to the pilot, the airplane became airborne about midfield and did not gain altitude or airspeed as fast as he thought it should. Subsequently, the airplane collided with trees and terrain about 1/2-mile from the departure end of the runway. The airplane was destroyed by the collision and a post-collision fire. The pilot said he took off downwind because he did not believe a 7 knot quartering tailwind would be a factor since it was 'slight.' An on-scene investigation revealed no mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe that would prevent normal operations. A drug screen performed by the hospital on a sample of the pilot's urine, obtained 10 days after the accident, indicated 'THC presumptive' and did not distinguish between tetrahydrocannabinol (the active component of marijuana) and tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (an inactive metabolite of marijuana). Marijuana was found in a coat that was in the airplane. The pilot said the coat belonged to the former owner.
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: 143 hours in all; 137 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,085 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 24, 1997; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RLA at 1:12 am
- Destination: RLA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from AID, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.