# NTSB CHI78FA035: Piper PA-31, N49MC, Arlington, IN, April 23, 1978

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: April 23, 1978
- Place: Arlington, IN · ARLINGTON, IN
- Location: 39.6411° N, 85.5771° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Arlington, IN, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6411&lon=-85.5771&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 9 fatal
- Status: Completed, report January 15, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 142142
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI78FA035
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI78FA035

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-2608  78/4/23    ARLINGTON,IN        PIPER PA-31         CR-  1  0  0  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, FL.INSTR.,
        TIME - 2147                    N49MC               PX-  8  0  0  AIR TAXI-PASSG            AGE 54, 32784 TOTAL
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            HOURS, 1510 IN TYPE,
                                                                                                   INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          TRENTON,NJ                  INDIANAPOLIS,IN
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           TURBULENCE                                               IN FLIGHT: DESCENDING
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN AREAS OF SEVERE TURBULENCE
           WEATHER - TURBULENCE, ASSOCIATED W/CLOUDS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS
           WEATHER - THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY RADIO
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          CLEAR                                                    UNLIMITED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          NONE                                                     VFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N49MC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N49MC-1985-07-15), registration cancelled 1985-07-15, S/N 31-7652084, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31
- Registry model: [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (registry code 7103110) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19780423041169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780423041169A), Apr 23, 1978: Piper PA31T1, Arlington, IN, Destroyed, 8 fatal

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.