Plane Crash List

Young PIETENPOL AIR CAMPER N81171

3 August 2003 · Peru, Indiana, United States · Fatal

Summary

On 3 August 2003 at about 18:32 local time, a Young PIETENPOL AIR CAMPER registered N81171 was involved in an accident near Peru, 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.

The record

Date
at 18:32
Classification
Accident
Location
Peru, Indiana, United States
Nearest airport
Robison Airport (IN33)
Coordinates
40.7336, -86.1000
Aircraft
Young PIETENPOL AIR CAMPER
Registration
N81171
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Logansport → Peru
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
CHI03LA241

People

1 person died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 1 0 0 0

Probable cause

The pilot not maintaining altitude/clearance from the trees during the landing. A factor was the trees he impacted.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The experimental amateur-built airplane was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain during an attempted landing. The recreational pilot reported on his application for his last airmen's medical that he had accumulated 70 total flight hours, 15 of which were flown in the 6 months preceding that physical examination. Local wind was 230 degrees at 11 knots. The sheriff's report stated, "It appeared that possibly the [airplane] struck the trees with [its] left wing. There was fuel in the aircraft and it appeared the engine was running at the time of the accident. The [tachometer] was stuck at 1450 rpms." An on-scene examination revealed no pre-impact anomalies. The Final Forensic Toxicology Accident Report stated, "DIPHENHYDRAMINE present in Urine." Diphenhydramine (commonly known by the trade name Benadryl) is an over-the-counter antihistamine with sedative effects, most commonly used to treat allergy symptoms.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
19 Aug 2003 Piper J3C-65
N37923
Tocsin, Indiana, United States - No injuries -
16 Jan 2003 Boeing 737-83N
N303TZ
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States American Trans Air Inc No injuries -
8 Oct 2003 Piper J-3
N71027
Florence, Indiana, United States Douglas D. Hatton No injuries -
2 Sep 2003 Beechcraft B36TC
N8018J
Uniondale, Indiana, United States Stephen J. Hatch Fatal 3
18 Nov 2003 Hughes TH-55A
N9240D
West Lafayette, Indiana, United States Dennis G. Lockrey Serious injuries -
29 Sep 2003 Beechcraft 35-33
N978T
Evansville, Indiana, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States