Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Seymour Twp., Wisconsin 54703
Monday, August 31, 1998 19:46 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses reported seeing the twin-engine airplane (Cessna 310) climbing on a north-northeast heading. The airplane was operating on an IFR flight plan. The pilot of that airplane contacted air traffic control as it climbed through 2,500 feet above mean sea level. The controller said he had acknowledged the pilot's transmission and then heard an ELT signal. A witness reported seeing a single engine airplane (Cessna 185) flying in a westerly direction. He said the airplanes collided and were '...engulfed in flames...' as they descended toward the ground. Both airplanes impacted the ground at a 90 degree angle about 3/8 mile apart. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the Cessna 185 left wing tip section had collided with Cessna 310 left wing tip fuel tank. The Cessna 185 left wing tip section crushing matched the shape of the wing tip fuel tank.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilots of both airplanes not maintaining visual separation from the other airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/31/1998
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1946
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SEYMOUR TWP.
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54703
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 1951 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID EAU
Elevation of weather observation facility 907
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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) 1702
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 31 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N5056J N100TS
NTSB Number CHI98FA356A CHI98FA356B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground None
Aircraft Explosion Unknown None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna Cessna
Aircraft Model 310R 185B
Aircraft Series Identifier 310R 185B
Aircraft Serial Number 310R-0176 1850639
Certified Max Gross Weight 5500 3200
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6 6
Number of Engines 2 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 19 1998 12:00AM Aug 8 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35 41
Airframe Hours 8094 5236
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated Unknown No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name HEARTLAND AVIATION, INC. D.R. HENNING/C.W. SIREK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3800 STARR AVE. 505 N. TOWNE HALL RD.
Aircraft Owner City EAU CLAIRE EAU CLAIRE
Aircraft Owner State WI WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54703 54703
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code AZNA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder None
Other Operator of large aircraft? Yes No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code EAU RLA
Departure City EAU CLAIRE WISSOTA
Departure State WI WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 0 1935
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --