Plumlee Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charleston, Missouri 63834
Friday, September 18, 1992 17:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD MADE SEVERAL STOP AND GO TAKEOFF AND LANDINGS AT THE PRIVATE GRASS STRIP. DURING TAKEOFF TO THE SOUTH, AT AN ALTITUDE OF APRX 100 FT, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE STARTED AN UNCONTROLLABLE DESCENT, STRIKING THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. HE STATED THAT THE CONTROLS WERE NOT EFFECTIVE DURING THE DESCENT. THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE EXAMINED, AND CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A SQUALL LINE WAS APPROACHING FROM THE WEST, AND BELIEVED IT WAS FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO NOT BE A PROBLEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S POOR WEATHER EVALUATION WHICH RESULTED IN A TAKEOFF INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND A LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHARLESTON
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63834
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PLUMLEE FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1655 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 328
Weather Observation Facility ID CGI
Elevation of weather observation facility 340
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1027
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N199KR
NTSB Number CHI92DCA05
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 RETTBERG
Aircraft Model RANS S-7
Aircraft Series Identifier RANS S-7
Aircraft Serial Number 1088032
Certified Max Gross Weight 1025
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OLIVER KIRKPATRICK
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 2, BOX 294
Aircraft Owner City CHARLESTON
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63834
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name OLIVER KIRKPATRICK
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RT 2, BOX 294
Operator City CHARLESTON
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63834
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --