Amateur-built STARDUSTER TOO accident near Shelbyville, Indiana, February 3, 1991
On February 3, 1991 at about 9:45 pm local time, a amateur-built STARDUSTER TOO, registered N224JH, 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'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, NOT REFUELING THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE TAKING OFF ON THIS FLIGHT, AND INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT IS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN SELECTED BY THE PILOT FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 1991 · about 9:45 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
- Amateur-built STARDUSTER TOO STARDUSTER
- Registration
- N224JH · registry record · serial 89H29
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT FUELED THE AIRCRAFT WITH 9 GALLONS OF FUEL, TOOK OFF, AND WENT SIGHTSEEING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, AND LANDED AT ANOTHER FIELD. HE GAVE RIDES TO THREE PERSONS WHILE HE WAS THERE. PILOT THEN TOOK OFF TO RETURN TO HIS POINT OF ORIGIN. APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES LATER HE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN A PLOWED CORN FIELD PERPENDICULAR TO THE FURROWS. RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DUG IN AND COLLAPSED ON LANDING ROLL. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FUEL IN AIRCRAFT. PILOT HAD FLOWN FOR 2.1 HOURS SINCE HIS ORIGINAL TAKEOFF, AND STATED THAT HE THOUGHT HE HAD FUEL FOR ANOTHER HOUR OF FLIGHT TIME WHEN THE MISHAP OCCURRED. FUEL WAS AVAILABLE AT BOTH AIRFIELDS HE WAS USING.
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: 356 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 328 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 42 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 3, 1990; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I52 Indianapolis IN at 9:15 pm
- Destination: 35M IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.