Piper PA-28-140 N4612F

Summary

On 15 February 1996 at about 00:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N4612F was involved in an accident near Brookston, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 February 1996 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Brookston, Indiana, United States

Coordinates

40.6007, -86.8607

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N4612F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lafayette → Gary

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI96FA090

1 person died.

the pilot's disregard for the forecast adverse weather conditions, his inadvertent flight into adverse weather conditions, and his disorientation. Factors relating to this accident were the pilot's lack of experience in instrument conditions, the snow and fog.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Prior to takeoff, the pilot called his girlfriend and asked her to pick him up at Gary Municipal Airport, Gary, Indiana, in one hour. One hour and 45 minutes later, the girlfriend contacted the Gary Air Traffic Control Tower, who advised her that they had had no contact with the pilot. The wreckage was discovered the following morning. The pilot received a flight service station briefing prior to takeoff. The briefing included low ceilings and snow showers along the pilot's route of flight. A witness reported seeing 'fast-moving snow showers' in West Lafayette, Indiana, between 1900 and 1930 est. Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies with the airplane. The pilot received his instrument rating one week prior to the accident. The pilot's logbook showed 2.8 hours of actual instrument time. The pilot's instrument flight instructor said the first time the pilot encountered actual instrument conditions, he became disoriented.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.