Plane Crash List

Piper PA-24-180 N30BS

21 June 1989 · Delphi, Indiana, United States · Fatal

Summary

On 21 June 1989 at about 20:35 local time, a Piper PA-24-180 registered N30BS was involved in an accident near Delphi, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 20:35
Classification
Accident
Location
Delphi, Indiana, United States
Nearest airport
Delphi Muni (1I9)
Coordinates
40.5804, -86.6692
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-180
Registration
N30BS
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
CHI89FA117

People

1 person died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 1 0 0 0

Probable cause

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION OF THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION FROM AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED DURING A FORCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND SUBSEQUENT IMPACT WITH THE GROUND.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 14 MONTHS AND DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT ANNUAL INSPECTION WHEN THE OWNER/PILOT TOOK IT FOR A FLIGHT. NO KNOWN WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT TAKEOFF. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A FIELD JUST NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. IT WAS FOUND WHEN A MOTORIST SAW A DUST CLOUD IN THE FIELD & PROCEEDED TO INVESTIGATE. AN EXAM OF THE CRASHSITE REVEALED THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED JUST NORTHEAST OF WHERE IT HAD COME TO REST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED DURING IMPACT. BOTH PROP BLADES WERE BENT AFT & NEITHER HAD CHORDWISE POLISHING OR SCRATCHES. NO USABLE FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT. ALTHOUGH THE FUEL PUMP FILTER WAS WET & THE LINES WERE BROKEN BETWEEN THE GASCOLATOR & CARBURETOR, NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LINES OR ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON A DAY WHEN THE ARPT WAS UNATTENDED & FUEL WAS NOT AVAILABLE. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK SHOWED NO ALCOHOL IN THE PILOT'S BLOOD. ALTHOUGH HIS KIDNEY TISSUE HAD AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.056%, THE TOXICOLOGY REPORT INDICATED THE ALCOHOL WAS '. . . DUE TO TISSUE DECOMPOSITION OR CONTAMINATION.'

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