Piper PA-24-180 accident near Delphi, Indiana, June 21, 1989
On June 21, 1989 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N30BS, was destroyed in an accident near Delphi, Indiana (Delphi Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION OF THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION FROM AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED DURING A FORCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND SUBSEQUENT IMPACT WITH THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1989 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Delphi, Indiana · Delphi Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N30BS · no longer on the register · serial PA-24-997
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 14 MONTHS AND DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT ANNUAL INSPECTION WHEN THE OWNER/PILOT TOOK IT FOR A FLIGHT. NO KNOWN WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT TAKEOFF. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A FIELD JUST NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. IT WAS FOUND WHEN A MOTORIST SAW A DUST CLOUD IN THE FIELD & PROCEEDED TO INVESTIGATE. AN EXAM OF THE CRASHSITE REVEALED THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED JUST NORTHEAST OF WHERE IT HAD COME TO REST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED DURING IMPACT. BOTH PROP BLADES WERE BENT AFT & NEITHER HAD CHORDWISE POLISHING OR SCRATCHES. NO USABLE FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT. ALTHOUGH THE FUEL PUMP FILTER WAS WET & THE LINES WERE BROKEN BETWEEN THE GASCOLATOR & CARBURETOR, NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LINES OR ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON A DAY WHEN THE ARPT WAS UNATTENDED & FUEL WAS NOT AVAILABLE. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK SHOWED NO ALCOHOL IN THE PILOT'S BLOOD. ALTHOUGH HIS KIDNEY TISSUE HAD AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.056%, THE TOXICOLOGY REPORT INDICATED THE ALCOHOL WAS '. . . DUE TO TISSUE DECOMPOSITION OR CONTAMINATION.'
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 343 hours in all; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 314 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,109 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1987; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,891 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:47 pm from LAF, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.