Alexander RV-4 accident near Delaware, Ohio, March 11, 1989
On March 11, 1989 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Alexander RV-4, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N443JA, was destroyed in an accident near Delaware, Ohio (Delaware Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT INADVERTENTLY LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL SPIN AND COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1989 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Delaware, Ohio · Delaware Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Alexander RV-4, amateur-built
- Registration
- N443JA · no longer on the register · serial 16
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED TO BE ON BASE TO FINAL FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 28 AT DELAWARE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. HE WAS AT A NORMAL ALTITUDE AND SPEED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY ROLLED TO A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES. THIS ROLLING AND PITCHING DOWN CONTINUED UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED BEHIND A CLUMP OF TREES. SMOKE ROSE IMMEDIATELY FROM THE LOCATION OF THE IMPACT. THE TWO OCCUPANTS WERE FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT DESTROYED BY THE CRASH AND ENSUING FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS A HOMEBUILT RV-4 WITH APPROXIMATELY 70 HOURS TOTAL TIME.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 325 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 70 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 6, 1988; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from CMH, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.