Dilley P51R accident near Hamilton, Indiana, June 3, 1989
On June 3, 1989 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Dilley P51R, registered N91KD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hamilton, Indiana. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE #3 CONNECTING ROD. A FACTOR WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1989 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hamilton, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dilley P51R
- Registration
- N91KD · registry record · serial 87-1001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AT 7,500 FT, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND A LOSS OF POWER RESULTED. DURING A FORCED LANDING APPROACH TO A FIELD, FIRE WAS NOTED COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE NACELLE. THE PILOT ACTIVATED THE FIRE BOTTLE AND CUT OFF THE MIXTURE WHICH EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED GEAR-UP IN AN OPEN FIELD. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED A CONNECTING ROD FAILURE IN THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER. THE FAILURE RESULTED IN A FAILURE OF THE INTAKE VALVE ALLOWING THE FUEL MIXTURE TO IGNITE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,408 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,589 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 17, 1989; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,700 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce RR 621 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FWA Fort Wayne IN at 12:30 pm
- Destination: FNT Flint MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CHI89DET06.