Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Weiner, Arkansas 72479
Sunday, April 5, 1998 13:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While maneuvering in the vicinity of a local car racing drag strip, less than 1 mile from the departure runway, the airplane struck an unmarked wire. The pilot maintained control of the airplane, flew direct to an airport, and landed the airplane without further incident. The top 20 percent of the rudder had separated from the airplane and the fabric on the rudder was torn. Local authorities found a ball of wire in the engine cowling.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from wires.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/1998
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WEINER
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72479
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 4
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 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 5000
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 45
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 78
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 7 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N92871
NTSB Number FTW98LA175
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 North American
Aircraft Model HARVARD 2
Aircraft Series Identifier HARVARD 2
Aircraft Serial Number 66-263
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 11 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 9542
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TENNESSEE WARBIRDS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6060 ELTON AVENUE SUITE A
Aircraft Owner City LAS VEGAS
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89107
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HARRY L. HAWKINS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2394 HAWKHURST STREET
Operator City MEMPHIS
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38119
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 M19
Departure City NEWPORT
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 8M2
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 --