Hickory Grove Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Goshen, Ohio 45122
Saturday, July 6, 1996 16:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that she was giving a friend a ride in the airplane, and that they were coming in for a landing on runway 24. She stated: 'It was a hot day [and] I could feel the plane settle over the corn field. I was a little low so I added power coming over the field.' The pilot indicated that when she thought that she had cleared the field, she reduced the power. She reported that '...as soon as I reduced power the plane settled and clipped the edge of the ditch instead of gliding on to touch down on the numbers...I continued to land...it was a smooth, straight ahead, soft landing - except the [landing] gear was gone.' The pilot indicated that the heat produced from the corn field and ditch tend to make the airplane settle much quicker on hot summer days. There was no evidence or claim of preimpact airplane anomaly. The pilot reported that the temperature at the time of the accident was 88 degrees F.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from terrain during short final approach/landing flare. The hot temperature was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/6/1996
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GOSHEN
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45122
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HICKORY GROVE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OH65
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 830
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 679
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 15 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:12AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N55PR
NTSB Number IAD96LA113
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing Stearman
Aircraft Model E75N1
Aircraft Series Identifier E75N1
Aircraft Serial Number 75-8788
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name REED, JEANNE B.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2652 MCHENRY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City GOSHEN
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45122
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code OH65
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Landing
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 24
Runway Length 1640
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --