Osceola Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Osceola, Arkansas 72370
Saturday, October 10, 1998 13:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The amateur-built experimental airplane impacted the ground following a loss of control while maneuvering. About 10 minutes after a witness observed the single-seat airplane make a normal takeoff, he observed the airplane in a left descending turn. The airplane continued in this attitude until the left wing tip struck the ground in a plowed field. Although the forward section of the fuselage was demolished, the rear section, including the pilot's seat, remained intact. The pilot was found still belted in the seat; he displayed no outward evidence of traumatic injury, but was unresponsive. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead following resuscitative efforts. The autopsy report listed the pilot's cause of death as hypertensive arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Additional autopsy findings included a mediastinal mass, enlarged thyroid, firm fibrotic liver, enlarged spleen, and no evidence of significant trauma. The pilot applied for an FAA medical certificate on November 21, 1996, and the application was denied due to his medical history, which included coronary artery bypass surgery and abdominal aorta graft replacement.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control due to incapacitation as a result of hypertensive arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/10/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City OSCEOLA
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72370
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport OSCEOLA MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7M4
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 135
Airport Elevation 234
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 345
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 966
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 10 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 8:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N81029
NTSB Number FTW99LA007
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 Painton
Aircraft Model LOEHLE AVIATION 5151
Aircraft Series Identifier LOEHLE AVI
Aircraft Serial Number 868-2138
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JIMMY D. TUCKER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 106 NORTH POPLAR ST
Aircraft Owner City OSCEOLA
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72370
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 7M4
Departure City
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1335
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 8:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 3800
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --