Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Superior, Wisconsin 54880
Saturday, April 17, 1993 19:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED DULUTH, MINNESOTA, ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON. VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. WHEN THE PILOT DID NOT ARRIVE FOR WORK ON MONDAY, HE WAS REPORTED MISSING, AND A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT REACHED THE DESTINATION. SIX DAYS AFTER THE FLIGHT LEFT DULUTH, THE BODY OF THE PASSENGER WAS FOUND BY A SEARCH PARTY ON THE SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR, EAST OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN. THE SEARCH WAS TERMINATED TWO DAYS LATER. AFTER ABOUT TWO MONTHS, THE BODY OF THE PILOT WAS ALSO FOUND WASHED UP ON THE LAKE SHORE, EAST OF SUPERIOR. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT FOUND AND WAS PRESUMED TO BE IN LAKE SUPERIOR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

undetermined.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SUPERIOR
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54880
Event Date Year 1993
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID DLH
Elevation of weather observation facility 1428
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 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) 1630
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 23 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7608L
NTSB Number CHI93FAMS3
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 Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LAKE
Aircraft Model LA-4
Aircraft Series Identifier LA-4
Aircraft Serial Number 381
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH R. KUTH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5789 S. PIKE LAKE RD.
Aircraft Owner City DULUTH
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55811
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 DLH
Departure City DULUTH
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1846
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 3CU
Destination City CABLE
Destination State WI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
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 --