Cessna 172G accident near Union, Indiana, June 28, 1999
On June 28, 1999 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N5869R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Union, Indiana. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the sign. Factors associated with the accident were the low ceilings and the sign which was contacted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1999 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Union, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N5869R · no longer on the register · serial 17253538
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a sign during an off airport landing. The pilot was flying pipeline patrol when the accident occurred. He reported that the weather quickly deteriorated during the flight. He stated that since the airplane was not approved for instrument flight, and there were no airports nearby, he elected to make an off airport landing. The pilot landed the airplane on a road during which time the left wing contacted a 2'x4' metal sign during the landing. This resulted in damage to both the forward and rear spars in the left wing.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,205 hours in all; 664 in this make and model; 128 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,098 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,758 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 10, 1999; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OWB Owensboro KY at 2:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft; scat at 200 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
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.