Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Middletown, Indiana 47632
Wednesday, July 6, 1988 23:32 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A FLT AT NIGHT, THE ACFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN, WHILE IN A NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT AT HIGH SPEED. VMC PREVAILED THRU-OUT THE AREA, THE SKY WAS CLEAR, & THE PLT WAS INSTRUMENT RATED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DEFECTS WITH EITHER THE ACFT OR THE ENG; HOWEVER, THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. WHEN NOTIFIED OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PLT'S WIFE STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN DEPRESSED. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK OF THE PLT'S LIVER TISSUE SHOWED THE PRESENCE OF ETHANOL WITH A CONCENTRATION OF 0.114%; HOWEVER, THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT PART OF THE ETHANOL MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED POST MORTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

ATTEMPTED OPERATION OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE BY THE PIC WHEN HE WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/6/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2332
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MIDDLETOWN
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47632
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2300 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID IND
Elevation of weather observation facility 797
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 37
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2467
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 7 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 30
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39628
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6187D
NTSB Number CHI88FA160
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17272621
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 Jun 23 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 693
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES B. HOLDON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 632 OXFORD RD
Aircraft Owner City ANDERSON
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46012
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 AID
Departure City ANDERSON
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 2300
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --