Piper PA-28-140 accident near Louisville, Kentucky, June 20, 1993
On June 20, 1993 at about 2:43 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N1698J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisville, Kentucky (Bowman Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A PARTIAL POWER LOSS OF UNDETERMINED ORIGIN WHILE OPERATING OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1993 · about 2:43 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · Bowman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N1698J · registry record · serial 28-24104
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD CONDUCTED 4 TOUCH AND GO'S SUCCESSFULLY. ON THE 5TH TAKEOFF, AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS AIRBORNE, THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT SWITCHED TANKS AND PUMPED THE THROTTLE; HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE SITUATION AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A WOODED AREA. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WITH THE ENGINE WHICH HAD BEEN OPERATING ON AUTO GAS FOR THE PREVIOUS 200 HOURS.
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: 230 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOU at 2:20 pm
- Destination: LOU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,312 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from LOU, 1 miles away
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.
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 NYC93LA123.