Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Tipp City, Ohio, February 21, 1989
On February 21, 1989 at about 5:24 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N1139X, was destroyed in an accident near Tipp City, Ohio (Cox-Dayton International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING BY THE PILOT RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOTS LACK OF EQUIPMENT AND ABILITY TO HANDLE THE WEATHER SITUATION WAS IGNORED BY THE PILOT IN HIS PLANNING FOR THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 1989 · about 5:24 am local time
- Place
- Tipp City, Ohio · Cox-Dayton International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N1139X · registry record · serial 28R-7535251
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PIC HAD NOT FLOWN FOR 10 YRS. BOUGHT ACFT & FLEW ON FAMILY VACATION FOR TWO DAYS & HEADED HOME. AT REFUEL STOP CHECKED WX & NOTED LOW CEILINGS AT DESTINATION. PIC FLEW TO DESTINATION TERMINAL AREA, OBTAINED WX FROM ATC & REQUESTED VOR APPROACH. ACFT NOT EQUIPPED FOR APPROACH. ACFT ALSO NOT IFR CERTIFIED & NAV INSTRUMENTS WERE NOT CHECKED FOR CORRECT OPERATION. PIC FLEW IN IMC ABOUT TWO HOURS, EXECUTING SEVEN UNSUCCESSFUL APPROACHES; VOR, LOC, AND ILS. FUEL WAS EVENTUALLY EXHAUSTED & ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,398 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 1988; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2G9 Somerset PA
- Destination: I67 Harrison OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 9,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:36 am from DAY, 1 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.