Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenwood, Indiana 46142
Saturday, July 4, 1998 9:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that approximately 10 minutes into the flight the engine loss complete power. The pilot was cruising at an approximate altitude of 700' above ground level (agl). The pilot completed a forced landing into a soybean field and upon touchdown the aircraft dug into the soft terrain. The front wheel contacted the terrain first, resulting in the aircraft to nose over and come to rest in an inverted position. The pilot stated that the area had received 1.5 inches of rain the night before, and that produced the 6 inches of mud that was present in the soybean field. Post accident investigation showed that the ignition coil had broken due to fatigue from operational vibrations. No other engine or aircraft anomalies were found.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power due to a fractured ignition coil. A factor to the accident was the soft terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/4/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 910
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GREENWOOD
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46142
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 856 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 136
Weather Observation Facility ID IND
Elevation of weather observation facility 797
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1884
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) 403
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 7 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1626
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9129F
NTSB Number CHI98LA242
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 Brunnemer
Aircraft Model HMB-2
Aircraft Series Identifier HMB-2
Aircraft Serial Number 9-95-2
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
Aircraft Category Gyrocraft
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 30 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 93
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARLAN M. BRUNNEMER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 101 SOUTH SAWMILL ROAD
Aircraft Owner City FRANKLIN
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46131
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 71II
Departure City FRANKLIN
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 850
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 4I7
Destination City GREENCASTLE
Destination State IN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
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 --