Wautoma Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wautoma, Wisconsin 54982
Tuesady, April 15, 1997 17:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

In his statement, the pilot indicated that the fourth touch & go landing 'Took awhile to get the plane on its mains because of the gusty conditions.' He said that when the power was advanced 'the engine sputtered. Pushed in carburetor heat. Still sputtered. Pumped throttle, still sputtered.' He next 'Put the tail down, and started breaking.' During the aborted takeoff roll the aircraft 'Ran off the end of 13 into a freshly plowed [soft] sandy field. The main wheels dug in and the plane went on to its back.' The airplane came to rest approximately 420 feet past the end of runway 13 inverted. Subsequently the pilot said, 'I believe I pushed power in to fast and flooded engine. Pumping throttle made it worse.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper use of the throttle. Factors were a crosswind and soft terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/15/1997
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WAUTOMA
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54982
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WAUTOMA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Y50
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 850
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID KOS
Elevation of weather observation facility 808
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 8500
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) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 113
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 15 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1956
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N26SH
NTSB Number CHI97LA112
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 Luscombe
Aircraft Model 8E
Aircraft Series Identifier 8E
Aircraft Serial Number 26SH
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
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 Jun 30 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 2000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID A. JOHNSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 608 LINCOLN ST
Aircraft Owner City RIPON
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54971
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 WI67
Departure City RIPON
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code Y50
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 13
Runway Length 3600
Runway Width 20
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --