Piper PA-17 accident near Delphi, Indiana, September 9, 2015
On September 9, 2015 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1948 Piper PA-17, registered N4653H, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) start-up) near Delphi, Indiana (Delphi Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's attempt to start the engine by himself without properly securing the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 2015 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Delphi, Indiana · Delphi Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-17, built 1948 · all PA-17s on the register
- Registration
- N4653H · no longer on the register · serial 17-63
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had recently purchased the airplane. It was not equipped with a starter nor did it have a parking brake. Up until this time, the pilot had used someone else to hand prop the engine while he sat at the controls. This was the pilot's first attempt to start the engine by himself. The airplane was not tied down nor chocked. The engine started and the airplane taxied across the tarmac and collided with an airport-owned hangar. There was an intention for flight. The pilot admitted his "lack of experience with this aircraft and [his] overly-high confidence level [was the cause of the] accident."
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
- Ground handling event during standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during standing (engine(s) operating)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine starting › Cranking › Not installed/available
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 50 hours in all; 7 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2015; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I19 Delphi IN
- Destination: I19 Delphi IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from KMCX, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN15CA410.