Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

White Bear, Minnesota 55110
Sunday, July 6, 1997 18:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About four minutes after takeoff, a person in the airplane contacted the airport tower stating that they had an emergency. The speaker's voice was garbled and the emergency was not clearly stated. The tower controller cleared the airplane to return to the airport and to report downwind. The airplane flew over the tower and then flew out of sight. The pilot did not respond to any subsequent radio calls. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane flying about 30 feet above the surface of the lake. The airplane entered a steep climbing right-hand turn. The witnesses said the airplane climbed to about 50 feet above the water before descending into the water. One witness reported seeing the airplane contact the water with its right wing and engine at the same time. The airframe and engine examination revealed no anomalies that would have prevented flight. The medical examiner's autopsy showed the pilot suffered an intra cerebral hemorrhage (stroke).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

pilot incapacitation due to a stroke.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/6/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WHITE BEAR
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55110
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 7
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 1853 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 115
Weather Observation Facility ID ANE
Elevation of weather observation facility 912
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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) 817
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 6 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1945
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8394E
NTSB Number CHI97FA196
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20A
Aircraft Series Identifier M20A
Aircraft Serial Number 1572
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 3 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 2998
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JESSE D. HAMEL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 117 STAR CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City VADNAIS HEIGHTS
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55127
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 ANE
Departure City ANOKA
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --