# NTSB CEN26LA333: Fairchild 24H, N16902, Indianapolis, IN, September 26, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: September 26, 2026, 14:30 UTC
- Place: Indianapolis, IN
- Coordinates: 39.829036, -86.294214
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8290&lon=-86.2942&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203943
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN26LA333
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203943/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA333

## Preliminary report

On September 26, 2026, about 1430 central daylight time, a Fairchild 24H, N16902, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Indianapolis, Indiana. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. During the landing rollout shortly after the tailwheel settled to the ground, the pilot reported that the airplane drifted to the right. The pilot pushed the left rudder pedal and the left pedal felt stuck. The airplane departed the right side of the runway into the grass. It continued to the right hit a ditch and hill which resulted in the main landing gear collapse and substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that a bent piece of metal, possibly a bellcrank travel stop, on the airplane’s structure was making contact with the rudder bellcrank near the rudder pedals. Wear marks were present in the bellcrank that indicated the issue had been occurring for some time. The movement and contact between the two parts made a clicking noise and repeated movement of the rudder pedals resulted in the rudder bellcrank sticking during movement. Sometimes it would become lodged and require force to release the pedal. The airplane was retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333) (defining event); cases with it: [Fairchild 24 H, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md?model=3370302), [All aircraft, 410 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N16902](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N16902), registered now, S/N 3211 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: FAIRCHILD 24H
- Registry model: [Fairchild 24 H](https://openairdocs.org/model/fairchild-24-h) (registry code 3370302) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Fairchild 6-440 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/fairchild-6-440-series) (registry code 26003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 3211
- Year built: 1937
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: EYE, Eagle Creek Airpark, runway 03, 4,200 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 10° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observed at: KEYE
- METAR: METAR KEYE 262253Z AUTO 01003KT 10SM CLR 21/06 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP193 T02110056

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20260926013259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260926013259A), Sep 26, 2026: Fairchild 24 H, Indianapolis, IN, Substantial damage. September 26, 2026, aircraft [privacy data omitted] A1937 Fairchild 24 h landed at Eagle Creek Airpark (keye). The aircraft had touched down on runway 03…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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