Plane Crash List

Piper PA-24-250 N5483P

23 November 1989 · Decatur, Indiana, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 23 November 1989 at about 15:50 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N5483P, operated by Philip Railsback, was involved in an accident near Decatur, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 15:50
Classification
Accident
Location
Decatur, Indiana, United States
Coordinates
40.8309, -84.9197
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-250
Registration
N5483P
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Philip Railsback
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Washington → Fort Wayne
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
CHI90DET01

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE FUEL SUPPLY, INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS, AND HIS IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED BEING LOW ON FUEL AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT DURING THE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED 15 MILES SHORT OF THE NEAREST AIRPORT AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD DURING WHICH THE AIRPLANE WAS DAMAGED. THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE INITIAL FUEL QUANTITY AT TAKEOFF AND FAILED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE HIGHER EN ROUTE POWER SETTINGS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-24 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
20 May 1989 Piper PA-24-250
N5874P
Decatur, Texas, United States Frazier, David R. No injuries -
10 Jun 1989 Piper PA-24
N9213P
Naked Island, Alaska, United States
no coordinates
Jacob Kertz Minor injuries -
2 Sep 1989 Piper PA-24-250
N5210P
Hickory, North Carolina, United States - No injuries -
15 Jul 1989 Piper PA-24-260
N9183P
Llano, Texas, United States
no coordinates
Clyde E. Thomas, JR. No injuries -
2 Sep 1989 Piper PA-24-260
N666KH
Hanceville, Alabama, United States Haynes, Ernie H. Serious injuries -
28 Jul 1989 Piper PA-24-250
N7162P
True, West Virginia, United States
no coordinates
- Fatal 1

All 2,700 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
30 Sep 1989 Beechcraft A36TC
N2YS
Greencastle, Indiana, United States - Fatal 3
5 Sep 1989 Boeing 767-231
N608TW
Knox, Indiana, United States Trans World Airlines Inc. Minor injuries -
14 Jan 1989 Piper PA-28-180
N3331R
Valparaiso, Indiana, United States - No injuries -
29 Oct 1989 Bell 47G-2A-1
N500CD
Plymouth, Indiana, United States - No injuries -
22 Mar 1989 Cessna 150L
N5228Q
Sellersburg, Indiana, United States - No injuries -
26 Mar 1989 Beechcraft 95-B-55
N27WF
Crothersville, Indiana, United States Casebolt, FON Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States