Tri-State Steuben County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Angola, Indiana 46703
Saturday, May 17, 1986 22:58 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DIVERTED INTO ANGOLA, AN AIRFIELD HE HAD NEVER LANDED AT BEFORE, DUE TO AN UNIDENTIFIED ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AT NIGHT. HE WAS GIVEN VECTORS TO THE AIRPORT AND REPORTED THE FIELD IN SIGHT. HE THEN SAID HE WAS GOING TO CIRCLE TO LOSE ALTITUDE PRIOR TO LANDING. ON VISUAL FINAL APPROACH, HE STRUCK THE ROOF OF A HOUSE AND CRASH LANDED ON A ROAD. HE WAS APPROX 1 DEGREE BELOW STANDARD GLIDE SLOPE WHEN HE STRUCK THE HOUSE. A LARGE QUANTITY OF UNSECURED PERSONAL BELONGINGS IN THE REAR OF THE PLANE FLEW FORWARD UPON IMPACT. THE PILOT WAS NOT WEARING THE SHOULDER HARNESS INSTALLED ABOVE HIS SEAT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/17/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2258
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ANGOLA
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46703
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TRI-STATE STEUBEN COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ANG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 50
Airport Elevation 995
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2250 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 185
Weather Observation Facility ID FWA
Elevation of weather observation facility 802
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 1381
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 18 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31774
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N44603
NTSB Number CHI86FA141
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-34-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7450214
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
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 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 14 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 1369
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WINSTON B. CENAC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 606 WEST MICHIGAN AVE.
Aircraft Owner City BATTLE CREEK
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49017
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 BTL
Departure City BATTLE CREEK
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 2225
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CHA
Destination City CHATTANOOGA
Destination State TN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --