Gary Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shelby, Indiana 46377
Wednesday, August 6, 1986 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 0
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SHELBY
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46377
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GARY MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GYY
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1747 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID GYY
Elevation of weather observation facility 591
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 Light
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2664
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 7 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33952
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 4:44PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4383X
NTSB Number CHI86FA200
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-235
Aircraft Serial Number 287610016
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 May 5 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 3059
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HALLS LAUNDRIES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 220 ROCKWOOD BLVD
Aircraft Owner City MADISON
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47250
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HALL'S LAUNDRIES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 220 ROCHWOOD BLVD.
Operator City MADISON
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 47250
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 PWK
Departure City WHEELING
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1709
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IMS
Destination City MADISON
Destination State IN
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --