Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Coloma, Wisconsin 54930
Friday, July 31, 1998 20:22 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot took off from Kankakee, Illinois, en route to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. A witness at, Plainfield, Wisconsin, observed the airplane flying southbound at 200 to 300 feet above the ground. The airplane appeared to be following Interstate 39. When the witness first saw the airplane approaching from the North, he noticed that the landing gear was down. As the airplane continued south, the witness observed the landing gear go up, and then extend again. The witness noticed no unusual sounds with the airplane's engine. Several witnesses traveling in automobiles northbound on Interstate 39, observed the airplane flying southward, following the Interstate, at an altitude of 100 to 175 feet above ground level. One witness said that the airplane looked as if it was landing. Another witness said that he saw the airplane 'hit the power lines, and visual arcing of the power lines, as the plane tumbled to the ground.' Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Failure of the pilot to maintain proper altitude, and his failure to maintain adequate visual lookout to see and avoid obstructions. The transmission wire was a contributing factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/1998
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2022
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City COLOMA
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54930
Event Date Year 1998
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2054 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 327
Weather Observation Facility ID ISW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1021
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 664
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8991H
NTSB Number CHI98FA287
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 Navion
Aircraft Model A
Aircraft Series Identifier A
Aircraft Serial Number NAV-4-991
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Dec 10 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 2256
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LONDON FLYERS, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5301 SCOTTSVILLE ROAD 1
Aircraft Owner City BOWLING GREEN
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 42104
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 IKK
Departure City KANKAKEE
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OSH
Destination City OSHKOSH
Destination State WI
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 --