Piper PA-28-140C accident near Indiana, Pennsylvania, September 21, 1986
On September 21, 1986 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140C, registered N6004U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Indiana, Pennsylvania. It was an instructional 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1986 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Indiana, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140C · all PA-28-140Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6004U · no longer on the register · serial 28-26906
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENG POWER. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT SHOWED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE THE LEFT TANK WHICH CONTAINED NO USEABLE FUEL. THERE WAS USEABLE FUEL REMAINING IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY 'HAVING THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS WHEN LEFT TANK WENT DRY'.
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: student
- Flight time: 31 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,023 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 27, 1985; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9G8 Ebensburg PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N6004U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.