Piper PA-28 N39999

Summary

On 26 September 1995 at about 00:45 local time, a Piper PA-28 registered N39999 was involved in an accident near Poseyville, Indiana, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 September 1995 at 00:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Poseyville, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Poseyville Employment (92IN)

Coordinates

38.1703, -87.7793

Aircraft

Piper PA-28

Registration

N39999

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Fishers

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI95LA331

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's poor judgement in making a night takeoff on an unlit runway and his failure to maintain proper runway alignment. Factors associated with the accident were the hay bale, the night conditions and the unlit runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT IT WAS DARK WHEN HE DEPARTED THE GRASS AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT HE COULD TAKEOFF EVEN THOUGH THE RUNWAYS LACKED ANY LIGHTING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE INSTRUCTED SOMEONE IN AN AUTOMOBILE TO POSTION THE AUTOMOBILE AT THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 22, AND TO SHINE ITS LIGHTS AT THE AIRPLANE IN ORDER TO GIVE THE PILOT A CENTERLINE REFERENCE FOR RUNWAY 22. THE PILOT STATED, 'UNFORTUNATELY, I INSTRUCTED THE AUTOMOBILE TO SET AT THE END OF RUNWAY 18.' HE FURTHER STATED THAT, 'A BLATANT ERROR IN JUDGMENT AND AIRCRAFT DIRECTION RESULTED IN DEPARTING THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTING A ROLLED BALE OF HAY IN THE ADJACENT FIELD.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.