Fellows Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Evansville, Wisconsin 53536
Friday, April 26, 1991 10:33 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING CROSSWIND TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS AT A PRIVATE AIRPORT WITH A SOD RUNWAY. THE RUNWAY WAS POSITIONED BETWEEN TWO FIELDS THAT WERE FRESHLY PLOWED. THE TRACTOR WHICH HAD PLOWED THE FIELDS USED THE RUNWAY AS A CROSSING POINT BETWEEN THE TWO FIELDS BEING PLOWED CREATING RUTS ON ITS SURFACE. IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT STORED ON THE FIELD DURING THE WINTER MONTHS HAD ALSO LEFT RUTS ON THE RUNWAY'S SURFACE. DURING ONE OF THE PILOT'S LANDINGS THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A RUT, BOUNCED INTO THE AIR. DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO AROUND THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, DESCENDED INTO THE FRESHLY PLOWED FIELD AND FLIPPED OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING, NOT MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND ATTEMPTING A GO-AROUND WITHOUT SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED. A FACTOR WAS THE RUTTED RUNWAY SURFACE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/26/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1033
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City EVANSVILLE
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53536
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 FELLOWS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7W18
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 920
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 312
Weather Observation Facility ID JVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 808
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 78
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43089
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N61978
NTSB Number CHI91LA141
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 TAYLORCRAFT
Aircraft Model BC12-D
Aircraft Series Identifier BC12-D
Aircraft Serial Number 7658
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 18 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 1207
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUGAR RIVER FLYING CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address 302 E. 6TH AVE
Aircraft Owner City BRODHEAD
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53520
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUGAR RIVER FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 302 E. 6TH AVE
Operator City BRODHEAD
Operator State WI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 53520
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 C37
Departure City BRODHEAD
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 3700
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --