Johnson QUICKIE 299 accident near Delphi, Indiana, August 26, 1990
On August 26, 1990, a Johnson QUICKIE 299, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N42LQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Delphi, Indiana (Delphi Muni 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
PILOT/MECHANIC'S IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE RUDDER CABLE TURNBUCKLES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1990
- Place
- Delphi, Indiana · Delphi Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Johnson QUICKIE 299 QUICKIE 29, amateur-built
- Registration
- N42LQ · no longer on the register · serial 299
- 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 IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE TENDED TO ROLL INVERTED. WITH AN INCREASE IN AIRSPEED, THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE ROLL TENDENCY, BUT STATED A HEAVY RIGHT YAW EXISTED. APRX 3/4 OF A MILE FROM THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, SO THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT. A GO-AROUND WAS MADE DURING THE FIRST APPROACH DUE TO EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE ON SHORT FINAL OF THE SECOND APPROACH. ON TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED (BOUNCING) OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS AND CORN CROP. POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE RIGHT RUDDER CABLE WAS DISCONNECTED AT THE MODIFIED TURNBUCKLE INSTALLATION. THE PILOT, ALSO THE MECHANIC, REPORTED THE COTTER PIN WAS LEFT OUT ALLOWING THE BOLT AND NUT CONNECTOR TO BACK OUT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 933 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 847 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 77 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 550 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown JLO (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1L9 Delphi IN at 11:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,891 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 am 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.