# Accident 19980816022249A: Piper PA28181, Michigan City, IN, August 16, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 16, 1998, 02:30 local time
- Place: Michigan City, IN
- Airport: Michigan City Apt
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.7094° N, 86.8702° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7094&lon=-86.8702&mi=10
- Aircraft: N30561, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N30561) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28181
- Reported engine: LYC O360A4M
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 864 total, 802 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA324](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA324) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980816022249A

## Narrative

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

ACFT ABORTED TAKEOFF AND LANDED IN A FIELD ON THE SIDE OF THE RWY. (.19) ON AUGUST 16, 1998, AT 0230 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28-181, N30561, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WENT OFF THE END OF A TAXIWAY DURING LANDING ROLL. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT DEPARTED GARY REGIONAL AIRPORT, GARY, INDIANA, AND WAS LANDING AT THE MICHIGAN CITY AIRPORT, MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD CANCELLED HIS IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, TO GARY, INDIANA, AND PROCEEDED TO MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA, USING FLIGHT FOLLOWING. THE PILOT REPORTED LANDED AT MICHIGAN CITY AT 0330 IN LIGHT GROUND FOG. HE REPORTED THAT THE GROUND FOG WAS `NO PROBLEM.' HE REPORTED, `UPON DEPARTING 02, THE FOG SUDDENLY OBSCURED THE RUNWAY. I PROCEEDED TO CUT THE POWER AND CAME TO REST IN A FIELD ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.' THE 0253 EDT WEATHER AT BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, 31 NAUTICAL MILES TO THE NORTHEAST, WAS REPORTING THE TEMPERATURE AS 57 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND THE DEW POINT WAS 57 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE 0254 EDT WEATHER AT SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, 22 NAUTICAL MILES TO THE             EAST, WAS REPORTING THE TEMPERATURE AS 62 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND THE DEW POINT WAS 62 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. (-23) PILOT ABORTED TAKEOFF WHEN INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED JUST AFTER TAKEOFF. SINCE AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN HAD NOT BEEN FILED, THE PILOT REDUCED THE POWER AND LANDED JUST OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 02.  DAMAGE TO FIREWALL OCCURRED WHEN NOSE GEAR STRUCK A SMALL DITCH, CAUSING NOSE GEAR TO CRUSH INTO THE FIREWALL.

## 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 CHI98LA324](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA324), Aug 16, 1998: Piper PA-28-181 (N30561), Michigan City, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot departed into known adverse weather and failed to maintain directional control of the airplane. A factor was the fog.

## Other reports on N30561 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19860322010959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860322010959A), Mar 22, 1986: Piper PA28181 (N30561), Oil Trough, AR, Substantial damage. Made approach to a field because of low fuel condition. Ran out of fuel during approach,stalled,hit ground,fence.

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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