Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Park Rapids, Minnesota 56470
Friday, April 5, 1991 17:42 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED FLYING HIS MODIFIED HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE OVER THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AFTER A 20 MINUTE LOCAL FLIGHT. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 3,500 FEET WHEN IT ENTERED A SPIRAL/SPIN AND DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ACCIDENT FOR SEVERAL DAYS, AND THE WRECKAGE HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. AIRCRAFT RECORDS AND PILOT LOGBOOKS WERE NOT LOCATED. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE WAS CONDUCTED IN THE HANGAR WHERE IT WAS STORED, AND REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTION/DIFFICULTY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND SUBSEQUENT SPIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1742
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PARK RAPIDS
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56470
Event Date Year 1991
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2345 C
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID PKD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1443
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation C
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1263
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43858
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:43AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N334DF
NTSB Number CHI91DER02
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 PAULBICKE
Aircraft Model BEDE 5B
Aircraft Series Identifier BEDE 5B
Aircraft Serial Number 2334
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD PAULBICKE
Aircraft Owner Street Address HC 06 BOX 440
Aircraft Owner City PARK RAPIDS
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56470
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RONALD PAULBICKE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address HC 06 BOX 440
Operator City PARK RAPIDS
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 56470
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 1720
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Descent
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --