Salem Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salem, Indiana 47167
Wednesday, November 19, 1997 20:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot had topped off the fuel at Evansville, Indiana, before continuing on to Wilmington, Ohio. The alternator circuit breaker popped during climb out and he reset it. After flying approximately twenty minutes, the pilot saw smoke curling from under the instrument panel. Louisville Approach gave the pilot radar vectors to Salem, Indiana. The pilot activated the runway lights, but he did not turn on the airplane's landing lights. He tried to lower the flaps, but they did not operate. He reported that he thought he was high enough, but got too low, and the airplane hit trees. The airplane came to rest about 1,000 feet east of the airport. There were indications that the airplane's left wing had impacted a tree, and the airplane had spun around. Both propeller blades had leading edge and chordwise scratching. The airplane's electrical system was examined, but the reason for the electrical malfunction was not determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's misjudgment of distance and altitude, while on final approach to land at night. Factors relating to the accident included: an undetermined electrical malfunction, inoperative flaps, darkness, the pilot not using the landing light, and the proximity of trees to the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/19/1997
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SALEM
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47167
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SALEM MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID I83
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 822
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1956 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID SDF
Elevation of weather observation facility 547
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 953
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 19 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2248
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N92042
NTSB Number CHI98LA040
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17261543
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 18 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 2318
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BELLES FLYING CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6900 SABINA RD.
Aircraft Owner City SABINA
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45169
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DONALD J. RAUCH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 114 N. HWY. 68
Operator City WILMINGTON
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 45177
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EVV
Departure City EVANSVILLE
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ILN
Destination City WILMINGTON
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 28
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 65
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --