Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hinckley, Illinois 60520
Monday, August 19, 1996 13:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The engine tach indicated that the instructor pilot and student pilot had operated the airplane for about 5 minutes before it crashed about 1/2 mile south of the departure end of the runway. A witness reported he saw the airplane already established in a left spiral at 500 to 700 feet AGL, in about a 70-degree nose-down attitude. He reported the wings were intact as it spiraled very fast before the right wing separated straight back from the aircraft. The examination of the right wing strut attach fitting indicated it failed as a result of overstressing loads. The examination of the fore and aft wood spars indicated they had failed as a result of overload forces. The examination of the inboard rear strut attach fitting indicated it had failed in tension overload. The aircraft was 94 pounds over the maximum gross weight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the instructor pilot exceeded the design stress limits of the aircraft which resulted in the overload failure of the wing. A factor was that the weight and balance of the aircraft was exceeded by the instructor pilot.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/1996
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HINCKLEY
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60520
Event Date Year 1996
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 1245 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID ARR
Elevation of weather observation facility 706
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1405
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 19 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5026Q
NTSB Number CHI96FA301
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 Bellanca
Aircraft Model 7GCAA
Aircraft Series Identifier 7GCAA
Aircraft Serial Number 38979
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Aug 1 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 5101
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HINCKLEY SOARING CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 858
Aircraft Owner City HINCKLEY
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60520
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 0C2
Departure City
Departure State
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --