Boeing B75N1 and Waco CTO accident near Cloverdale, Indiana, October 4, 1997
On October 4, 1997 at about 9:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing B75N1 (N75511) and Waco CTO (N9577H), were involved in the same accident near Cloverdale, Indiana (Pams Place airport). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the Boeing pilot failed to identify the Waco airplane on the runway before initiating a takeoff. Factors related to the accident were: the restricted forward visibility of both pilots due to the tailwheel configurations of both airplanes.
the Boeing pilot failed to identify the Waco airplane on the runway before initiating a takeoff. Factors related to the accident were: the restricted forward visibility of both pilots due to the tailwheel configurations of both airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 1997 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cloverdale, Indiana · Pams Place · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing B75N1 · all B75N1s on the register
- Registration
- N75511 · no longer on the register · serial 75-7581
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Waco CTO · all CTOs on the register
- Registration
- N9577H · registry record · serial A-47
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing B75N1 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of Waco CTO, NC9577H, had landed and was back taxing on runway 27, and the pilot of Boeing B75N1, N75511, was taking off on runway 27, when a collision of the airplanes occurred. The pilot of NC9577H reported that about half way down the runway, he made an S-turn, and as he was centering the airplane, he heard an engine noise and saw N75511 just before impact. The pilot of N75511 reported that he did not see anyone on the runway or in the traffic pattern before initiating his takeoff. N75511 was equipped with a radio, but NC9577H was not.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Waco CTO final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of Waco CTO, NC9577H, had landed and was back taxing on runway 27, and the pilot of Boeing B75N1, N75511, was taking off on runway 27, when a collision of the airplanes occurred. The pilot of NC9577H reported that about half way down the runway, he made an S-turn, and as he was centering the airplane, he heard an engine noise and saw N75511 just before impact. The pilot of N75511 reported that he did not see anyone on the runway or in the traffic pattern before initiating his takeoff. N75511 was equipped with a radio, but NC9577H was not.
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 for the Boeing B75N1 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 28,000 hours in all; 420 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 22,001 as pilot in command; 820 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,703 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 24, 1997; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W-670 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 78I
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 23,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from IND, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Waco CTO from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 540 hours in all; 440 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 515 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 440 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 1997; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright J6-7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,600 ft by 100 ft
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI98LA008.