Piper PA-22-150 accident near Bourbon, Indiana, February 24, 1996
On February 24, 1996 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N6939B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bourbon, Indiana. 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
Water contamination in the fuel, and an inadequate preflight by the pilot. Factors relating to the accident were: soft terrain in the emergency landing area, and an improper soft field landing procedure used by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 1996 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bourbon, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6939B · no longer on the register · serial 22-4218
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 7 minutes after reaching cruise altitude, the pilot switched from the right to left fuel tank. He said the engine ran for about 7 more minutes and stopped. He said when he switched back to the original fuel tank, the engine power surged and then stopped. The pilot said his attempt to restart the engine was unsuccessful. The airplane was landed in a muddy field on its main landing gear, and it nosed over shortly after touchdown. The main landing gear tires were caked with mud. The tailwheel had no mud on it. An on-scene investigation revealed engine control continuity. About 7 gallons of fuel were found in the left fuel tank, and about 1 quart was found in the right fuel tank. The fuel tank cap gaskets were not damaged. Traces of dirty water were found in the carburetor float bowl and fuel strainer. The ignition system was tested, and it met the manufacturer's operating specifications. The FAA's Flight Training Handbook stated that a soft field landing in a tailwheel airplane should be done with the tailwheel touching down with or just before the main landing gear tires.
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: 2,300 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,736 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 9, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RCR Rochester IN at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N6939B 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.