Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Laporte, Indiana 46350
Thursday, October 6, 1994 16:09 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 200 FEET, HE NOTICED THAT HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN HIS CLIMB RATE. HE NOTICED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE MADE A 'NEAR STALL, 90 DEGREE RIGHT TURN' AND CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING IN A SMALL FIELD. A WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE AND APPEARED TO BE FLYING CLOSE TO A STALL. HE SAID THE PLANE 'APPARENTLY HIT NOSE AND RIGHT WING FIRST.' FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTORS, WHO EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE, REPORTED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION. INSPECTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM, MAGNETO, ENGINE, AND CARBURETOR REVEALED NO ANOMALIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadvertant stall of the airplane while conducting a forced landing. A factor was the engine failure which occurred for an undetermined reason.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/6/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1609
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LAPORTE
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46350
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1551 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID SBN
Elevation of weather observation facility 799
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 650
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1707
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 7 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1730H
NTSB Number CHI95LA006
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name JOHNSON
Aircraft Model A-4
Aircraft Series Identifier A-4
Aircraft Serial Number 1000
Certified Max Gross Weight 850
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREGORY J. NOWAK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6145 NORTH 450 WEST
Aircraft Owner City LAPORTE
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46350
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 Unknown
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 --
Destination Airport Code MGC
Destination City MICHIGAN CITY
Destination State IN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --