Amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG I accident near Shelbyville, Indiana, June 24, 1995
On June 24, 1995 at about 1:45 pm local time, a amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG I, registered N30878, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shelbyville, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's allowing the airplane to inadvertently liftoff. A factor was a malfunction of the flight control system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1995 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Shelbyville, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG I BUSHBY MUS
- Registration
- N30878 · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN INADVERTENT LIFT-OFF OCCURRED DURING A HIGH SPEED TAXI. THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED DIFFICULTY IN CONTROLLING THE AIRPLANE WHICH REQUIRED FULL RIGHT AILERON AND FULL RIGHT RUDDER. HE FOUND THAT HIGH POWER SETTING AGGRAVATED THE SITUATION SO HE REDUCED POWER. HE ELECTED TO ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY, BUT WITH THE REDUCED POWER WAS NOT ABLE TO DO SO. HE THEN CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING IN A CROP FIELD AND THE AIRPLANE WENT THROUGH A FENCE. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION FAILED TO REVEAL THE NATURE OF THE CONTROL PROBLEM. CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED, BUT FULL TRAVEL OF CONTROLS WAS NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE FROM THE ACCIDENT.
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: 126 hours in all; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3SM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from IND, 25 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.
Other NTSB records under N30878 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.