No fatalities

Twin-Engine Aircraft Crash at Indianapolis Airport (N711TL)

Indianapolis, United States of AmericaTakeoff (climb)

On February 27, 1979, a Beechcraft E18 (registration N711TL) operated by Burlington Air Express was involved in an aviation accident near Indianapolis, United States of America during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Uncontrolled collision with ground due to vortex turbulences from a preceding Boeing 727. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered N711TL
Aircraft registered N711TL. Photo: Alec Wilson from Khon Kaen, Thailand / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A twin-engine airplane crashed shortly after takeoff from Indianapolis Airport due to wake turbulence from a preceding Boeing 727. Both occupants were injured, and the aircraft was destroyed.

Incident Overview and Outcome A twin-engine airplane experienced a stall during its initial climb phase, just after taking off from Indianapolis Airport. The aircraft subsequently crashed, resulting in injuries to both occupants and the total destruction of the airframe. The incident occurred in the immediate vicinity of the airport during the critical early stage of flight. ## Official Investigation Findings The official investigation determined that the loss of control was a direct consequence of wake turbulence generated by a preceding Boeing 727 that had taken off from the same runway. The official probable cause was identified as an uncontrolled collision with the ground due to vortex turbulence.