Delphi Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Delphi, Indiana 46923
Saturday, August 25, 1990 19:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT/MECHANIC'S IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE RUDDER CABLE TURNBUCKLES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/25/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DELPHI
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46923
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DELPHI MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IL9
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 675
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2350 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 55
Weather Observation Facility ID LAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 606
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 3500
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1026
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 27 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42247
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N42LQ
NTSB Number CHI90DEX02
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name JOHNSON
Aircraft Model QUICKIE 299
Aircraft Series Identifier QUICKIE 29
Aircraft Serial Number 299
Certified Max Gross Weight 550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 25 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 77
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRUCE CARL THOMPSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address R.R. #4, BOX R12
Aircraft Owner City DELPHI
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46923
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 1L9
Departure City DELPHI
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1850
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2891
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --