Porter County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Valparaiso, Indiana 46383
Thursday, March 4, 1982 23:56 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING SEVERE ICING CONDITIONS AFTER HE HAD CANCELED HIS IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND HAD THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT. AT THAT POINT, HE FELT THAT THE SAFEST ALTERNATIVE WAS TO CONTINUE THE APPROACH. THE APPROACH WAS FLOWN AT 120 MPH WITH NO FLAPS. AS THE APPROACH WAS CONTINUED, ICE BEGAN TO ACCUMULATE RAPIDLY. WITH FULL POWER, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE DESCENT. THE PLANE TOUCHED DOWN 78 FT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND BOUNCED IN THE AIR AGAIN. THE PILOT RETRACTED THE GEAR IN AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT FLYING. THE WINDSHIELD WAS COVERED WITH ICE, BUT HE WAS ABLE TO SEE A PARALLEL TAXIWAY BY LOOKING THROUGH THE SIDE WINDOW. THE PLANE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE TAXIWAY AND LANDED AT A HIGH DESCENT RATE WITH THE GEAR UP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/4/1982
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2356
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City VALPARAISO
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46383
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport PORTER COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VPZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 10
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID VPZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 224
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N34EE
NTSB Number CHI82DA078
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-30
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-30
Aircraft Serial Number 30-1138
Certified Max Gross Weight 3725
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 1340
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EAGLE AIRCRAFT COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 711 SOUTH CALUMET RD.
Aircraft Owner City CHESTERTON
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46304
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EAGLE AIRCRAFT COMPANY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 711 SOUTH CALUMET RD.
Operator City CHESTERTON
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 46304
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City CHICAGO
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 2330
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City VALPARAISO
Destination State IN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 9
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --