Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cambridge, Indiana 47327
Friday, March 15, 1996 14:27 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot had owned the airplane about 2 to 3 weeks. According to witnesses, he was performing aerobatics when the airplane entered a flat spin. Subsequently, the airplane collided with the ground and produced no ground scars other than from its impact point. The pilot had performed aerobatics in a Luscombe during the 1970's and 1980's. The owner of the fixed base operation, where the airplane was based, stated the pilot had not received any acrobatic instruction locally. There were no mechanical anomalies found with the airframe, control system, or engine that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot allowed the airplane to enter a flat spin, while performing an acrobatic maneuver, and was unable to recover before ground impact. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's overconfidence in his personal ability, and his lack of familiarity with the airplane's flight characteristics.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1427
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CAMBRIDGE
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47327
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 3
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 265
Weather Observation Facility ID IND
Elevation of weather observation facility 797
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 225
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 15 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1445
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N219RC
NTSB Number CHI96LA108
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 BISHOP-CHRISTIAN
Aircraft Model EAGLE II
Aircraft Series Identifier EAGLE II
Aircraft Serial Number BISHOP 0001
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 707
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name G. NEWTON/A ROBERSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2306 W. CUMBERLAND ST.
Aircraft Owner City DUBLIN
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47335
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 UWL
Departure City NEW CASTLE
Departure State IN
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 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 --