Cessna 340A accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana, June 3, 1997
On June 3, 1997 at about 4:25 am local time, a Cessna 340A, registered N171DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana (Fort Wayne International 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 did not comply with the decision height and his attention was diverted from his cockpit scan. The factors involved were the weather conditions were at landing minimums and a flight to his destination alternate was not performed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1997 · about 4:25 am local time
- Place
- Fort Wayne, Indiana · Fort Wayne International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A · all 340As on the register
- Registration
- N171DB · registry record · serial 340A-1257
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While flying his ILS approach with 1 mile visibility and a 200 foot ceiling, the pilot was able to see the runway lights to the right side of the airplane upon reaching decision height, but chose a missed approach. The second approach resulted in the same conditions. On the third approach, the pilot requested a radar surveillance approach coupled with the ILS approach for glide slope information. The pilot stated 'I fixed my eyes on the runway and inadvertently descended below the glide path and landed short of the runway.' No discrepancies were discovered with the Nav #1 or Nav #2 instrumentation regarding the ILS centering, deflection and sensitivity.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,988 hours in all; 935 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 5,988 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,230 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 21, 1996; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F28 El Reno OK
- Destination: FWA IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 12,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft; ovct at 100 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:25 am from FWA
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.