Taylorcraft DCO-65 accident near Americus, Indiana, February 15, 2011
On February 15, 2011 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Taylorcraft DCO-65, registered N46089, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Americus, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 2011 · about 9:30 pm local time · cases in 2011
- Place
- Americus, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft DCO-65 · all DCO-65s on the register
- Registration
- N46089 · registry record · serial 4230
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to the local flight, the pilot performed a preflight inspection and fueled the airplane with three gallons in each wing fuel tank. The passenger reported that the takeoff and flight were normal. During the return flight to the departure airport, the airplane stalled and descended into wooded terrain resulting in substantial damage. The airplane impacted several trees and came to rest in a nose down vertical attitude. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the forward fuselage was crushed, the wings were bent and buckled, and the engine was partially separated. Flight control continuity was established to all flight control surfaces. There was no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure with the engine or airframe.
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
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 1, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAF Lafayette IN at 9:08 pm
- Destination: LAF Lafayette IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from LAF, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 4, 2011. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTSB Record of Conversation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Excerpt of Sheriff's Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N46089 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Taylorcraft DCO-65 195 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Taylorcraft 1,896 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES · as the NTSB recorded it
- Purdue University Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Indiana 1,367 since 1982 · 179 in the last ten years
- Indiana 5,705 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN11LA194.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.