- Date
- September 5, 1988, 11:25 local (16:25 UTC)
- Place
- Claypool, IN
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7791KPiper PA-20
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880905036769A
- Case key
- 13963
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Pilot-in-command's failure to maintain a sufficient visual lookout and perform a pull up in time to avoid collision with a tree.
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.
In flight collision with object
Low pass - performedFactor
Visual lookout - inadequateCause
Diverted attentionCause
Object - tree(s)Factor
Clearance - not maintainedCause
In flight collision with terrain/water
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7791K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20-617
- Airframe hours
- 1,700
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Milam, Larry L.
- Registered owner
- Milam, Larry L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1988 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- 8I3 · Kokomo, IN
- Destination
- C92 · Mentone, IN
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 190 total · 35 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FWA, 34 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.