Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hammond, Wisconsin 54015
Saturday, August 19, 1995 17:53 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD BEEN DOING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. HE STARTED DECENDING FROM 4,000 FEET, AND AFTER LEVELING OFF AT ABOUT 1,000 FEET AGL THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO VIBRATE OR SHAKE VIOLENTLY. HE REPORTED PULLING THE POWER BACK TO IDLE THINKING HE MAY HAVE LOST A PROPELLER BLADE, AND TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT DOWN. HE LANDED IN A CORN FIELD AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE UPON GROUND CONTACT, AND THAT ALL THREE BLADES WERE STILL ATTACHED TO THE PROP HUB. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE AIRCRAFT MAY HAVE HAD A STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF SOME SORT. EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT STABILIZER SUPPORT TUBE ASSEMBLIES REVEALED NO INDICATIONS OF PREEXISTING CRACKING. THE DEFORMATION PATTERNS ON THE RIGHT TUBE INDICATED OVERSTRESSING LOADS. THE PILOT/OWNER HAD THE TUBES MODIFIED TO MAKE THEM ADJUSTABLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an overload failure of the right horizontal support tube assembly which the pilot/owner had modified to be adjustable. A factor in the accident was the corn.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1753
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HAMMOND
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54015
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
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 1750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 265
Weather Observation Facility ID EAU
Elevation of weather observation facility 907
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 43
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1420
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 19 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1901
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N320WM
NTSB Number CHI95LA288
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 de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC-1
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC-1
Aircraft Serial Number E4801/485
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Sep 8 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 1580
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID E. MILLS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2235 OAKGREEN AVE N
Aircraft Owner City STILLWATER
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55082
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 No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City BALDWIN
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1735
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
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 --