Piper PA-28R-201 accident near Delphi, Indiana, September 17, 1989
On September 17, 1989 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201, registered N9816C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Delphi, Indiana (Delphi Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY COMPENSATE FOR THE HIGH SINK RATE THAT DEVELOPED ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE DOWNDRAFT AND THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER RATE OF DESCENT ON FINAL APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 1989 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Delphi, Indiana · Delphi Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N9816C · no longer on the register · serial 28R-783222
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL STUDENT PILOT AND HIS INSTRUCTOR WERE ON FINAL APPROACH, WHEN THE AIRPLANE GOT INTO A HIGH SINK RATE AND ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT. THE INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION, BUT A HARD LANDING OCCURRED JUST SHORT OF THE RUNWAY DAMAGING THE AIRCRAFT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 852 as pilot in command; 560 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,104 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 11, 1989; 396 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3AR Lafayette IN at 5:45 pm
- Destination: 1I9 Delphi IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,891 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N9816C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.