- Date
- August 6, 1986, 00:00 local (05:00 UTC)
- Place
- Shelby, IN
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4383XPiper PA-28-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860806037799A
- Case key
- 13273
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The non-instrument rated pilot initiated the VFR flight from wheeling, IL, to madison, IN, IN marginal weather conditions. The wreckage was found on the afternoon of the following day about 26 miles south of gary, IN. The aircraft sustained an in-flight breakup wherein both wings, the right stabilator and the vertical fin and rudder separated. Investigation showed the breakup occurred because of aerodynamic forces that exceeded the design limitations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4383X
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 287610016
- Airframe hours
- 3,059
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hall'S Laundries, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Halls Laundries Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 1986 · 45 hours before
- Departed
- PWK · Wheeling, IL
- Destination
- IMS · Madison, IN
- Airport
- GYY · Gary Municipal
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 155 total · 15 in this make and model · 118 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GYY, 26 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.