Boeing E75 accident near Shelbyville, Indiana, June 17, 1989
On June 17, 1989 at about 8:42 pm local time, a Boeing E75, registered N43YP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shelbyville, Indiana (Shelbyville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT ALLOWED HIS ATTENTION TO BE DEVAITED, MISJUDGED ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE ABOVE THE POWER LINES. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE POWER LINES AND PARKED AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1989 · about 8:42 pm local time
- Place
- Shelbyville, Indiana · Shelbyville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing E75 · all E75s on the register
- Registration
- N43YP · registry record · serial 75-6018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO A SOD RWY AT AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT, HIS ATTENTION WAS FOCUSED ON CONFLICTING TRAFFIC & HE INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED THE ACFT TO DESCEND TOO LOW. HE STATED THAT THERE WERE POWER LINES SHORT OF THE RWY WHICH BLENDED WITH THE BACKGROUND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT'S LANDING GEAR HIT THE POWER LINES & DRAGGED WIRES & DEBRIS FROM THE UTILITY POLES. BEFORE COMING TO REST, THE ACDNT ACFT STRUCK 3 PARKED ACFT & THE WIRES & DEBRIS DAMAGED ANOTHER ACFT & 5 VEHICLES. ON THE DAY OF THE ACDNT, THE ARPT WAS CONGESTED DUE TO AN ANTIQUE ACFT FLY-IN.
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
- Flight time: 385 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 298 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 1989; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming R-680 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3SM at 9:30 pm
- Destination: 3SM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,670 ft by 190 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from IND, 24 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.