# Accident 19980803038289A: Piper PA28R200, West Frankfort, IN, August 3, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 3, 1998, 13:30 local time
- Place: West Frankfort, IN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft: N4596T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4596T-2013-08-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28R-200 (registry code 7102811, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R200
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA298) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980803038289A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19)ON AUGUST 3, 1998, AT 1330 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), A PIPER PA-28R-200, N4596T, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN OFF-AIRPORT FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN.  THE PILOT AND PASSENGER REPORTED NO INJURIES.  THE FLIGHT DEPARTED LAFAYETTE, INDIANA, AT 1320 EDT.                                                  (-23) ON AUGUST 3, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 1730 UTC, A PIPER ARROW, N4596T, WITH A PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ABOARD EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD NEAR FRANKFORT, IN.  WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT TO THE CHOSEN EMERGENCY LANDING SITE, THE LANDING GEAR LOWERED DUE TO ACTIVATION OF THE AUTOMATIC GEAR SYSTEM, AND THE PILOT HAD TO DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE SITE BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED SINK RATE.  ON THE APPROACH TO THE FIELD, THE MAIN GEAR CONTACTED A POWER LINE.  THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS SOUTH OF THE POWER LINE (PERPENDICULAR TO NEWCASTLE ROAD FRANKFOR, IN), CONTINUED ON A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION, AND C AME TO REST ON A NORTHEASTERLY HEADING ROUGHLY 75 YARDS FROM THE POINT OF TOUCHDOWN. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WAS FOUND ALONG THE PATH FROM THE TOUCHDOWN POINT TO THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 40 YARDS NORTH OF THE AIRCRAFT.  THE NOSE AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR WERE FOUND COLLAPSED UNDER THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED; HOWEVER, THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI98LA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA298), Aug 3, 1998: Piper PA28-R-200 (N4596T), W. Frankfort, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the fuel mixture control linkage, and inadequate inspections by maintenance personnel.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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