Delaware Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Delaware, Ohio 43015
Saturday, March 11, 1989 12:05 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED TO BE ON BASE TO FINAL FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 28 AT DELAWARE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. HE WAS AT A NORMAL ALTITUDE AND SPEED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY ROLLED TO A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES. THIS ROLLING AND PITCHING DOWN CONTINUED UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED BEHIND A CLUMP OF TREES. SMOKE ROSE IMMEDIATELY FROM THE LOCATION OF THE IMPACT. THE TWO OCCUPANTS WERE FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT DESTROYED BY THE CRASH AND ENSUING FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS A HOMEBUILT RV-4 WITH APPROXIMATELY 70 HOURS TOTAL TIME.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT INADVERTENTLY LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL SPIN AND COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/11/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1205
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DELAWARE
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43015
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DELAWARE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DLZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 946
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1200 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 155
Weather Observation Facility ID CMH
Elevation of weather observation facility 816
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 600
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 11 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40110
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N443JA
NTSB Number ATL89DEK02
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ALEXANDER
Aircraft Model RV-4
Aircraft Series Identifier RV-4
Aircraft Serial Number 16
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jul 6 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 70
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES K. ALEXANDER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4338 DUBLIN ROAD
Aircraft Owner City COLUMBUS
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43026
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES K. ALEXANDER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4338 DUBLIN ROAD
Operator City COLUMBUS
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 43026
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 28
Runway Length 4100
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --